Farsighted
by SibylSofiana
Summary: COMPLETE! Instead of going with Sakura to HK for summer break, Tomoyo ends up in London, comforting a brokenhearted and confused Eriol. Eriol finds out being too farsighted makes him miss the things closest to his heart.
1. Clouded Vision

Disclaimer: We do not own CCS.  
  
Farsighted By SibylSofiana  
  
Chapter 1 Clouded Vision  
  
Sixteen-year old Tomoyo Daidouji reluctantly decided to stay home that summer.  
  
Sakura had invited her to spend the break in Hongkong so they could both see how Touya was coping with his returning powers. Tomoyo recalled their conversation last night at Tomoyo's house.  
  
@ @ @  
  
"I bet Yukito-san could give us a tour and take us to the best restaurants, by now. After all, it has been years since we last went there. It would be fun, Tomoyo!" Sakura cajoled her raven-haired best friend, who just smiled at her.  
  
"And of course the fact that both Touya-kun and Tsukishiro-san reside in the Li Manor has nothing to do with the visit, ne Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo replied innocently, at the same time reaching for her V8 to catch Sakura's reaction to her statement.  
  
She was not disappointed. True to Syaoran fashion, Sakura blushed and looked like someone with a tomato for a head. Tomoyo just giggled. Sakura-chan was so kawaii! She gave her best friend a few minutes to recover (the videocam still playing, of course! Every Sakura moment was precious)  
  
"Anou... since we'll be there anyway, we might as well say hello to everyone," Sakura finished lamely. There was no use hiding from Tomoyo. If she hadn't known Tomoyo for years, she would have said Tomoyo used magic to penetrate the most innermost thoughts of a person. She could read anyone like a book. Not even Eriol-kun could escape Tomoyo-chan's scrutiny. And he happened to be in England.  
  
Sakura sighed. [Oh well]. She was really looking forward to being with Syaoran in the next couple of days, but she did want to see how Oniichan was doing. And she did miss Yukito-san. And Yue-san.  
  
Tomoyo finally took pity on her. "Hohoho... gomen ne Sakura-chan, for teasing you. It's just that you and Li-kun look so kawaii when you blush like that!" Tomoyo giggled again, before adding thoughtfully. "Hmm, perhaps I should make a tomato costume to accentuate the effects..."  
  
"Tomoyo!!!" Sakura face-faulted.  
  
"All right, all right!" Tomoyo couldn't help grinning.  
  
"You didn't answer the question, Tomoyo-chan. So, will you come with me?" Green eyes pleaded.  
  
Tomoyo stopped her teasing and considered the invitation. Usually, she never missed the opportunity to videotape Sakura. With Li-kun around, it was certainly bound to be interesting -- to follow them around and videotape their romantic moments! Meiling-chan would take any opportunity to rag her cousin. She could send the tape to Hiiragizawa-kun too...  
  
But something stopped her. Sixth sense, maybe? She toyed with the idea in her head. Something was going to happen, she could feel it.  
  
Could it be Sakura-chan?  
  
She always could feel whenever something was bothering her friends. Her instinct was especially strong when it came to Sakura. She instinctively knew when Sakura was happy, sad, or in danger. She felt it at a lesser degree for her other friends.  
  
So, this time she knew it wasn't about Sakura. Besides, Sakura be would safe with Li-kun and her guardians, Yue and Keroberus, not to mention her ever-watchful Oniichan.  
  
But whoever or whatever it was, she knew she needed to be around to handle the situation.  
  
Tomoyo soon made up her mind.  
  
"Gomen Sakura-chan, I can't," came her reply.  
  
Sakura understood. Not that she knew the reason why her friend couldn't come, but because she knew that if Tomoyo-chan could, she certainly would. And right now, she couldn't. She vaguely felt a memory tug at the corners of her mind - the night at the shrine, where she told her friends' fortunes. All except Tomoyo's. She didn't understand why she remembered that now, but it seemed relevant somehow to her friend's reluctance.  
  
She sighed. "That's too bad, Tomoyo-chan. Promise me that you'll call, okay?"  
  
"I promise."  
  
And they had hugged each other before Sakura left to pack for the trip with her otousan and Kero-chan.  
  
@ @ @ So now Tomoyo was stuck in her room making red tomato outfits for her dear Sakura-chan and Li-kun. She was ecstatic to come up with the idea, of course, and she couldn't wait to see the end result. [This would make a good dare for both of them], Tomoyo's eyes glinted with mischief. [Ohohoho...]  
  
Those thoughts kept her entertained for a while -- though a nagging feeling that she should be doing something else kept intruding on her. Then she heard it.  
  
The maid answered the phone in the hallway. A few seconds later, the maid knocked on her door and said, "A call for you, Tomoyo-san".  
  
With hurried thanks, she took the phone and answered, "Moshi moshi. This is Daidouji Tomoyo speaking".  
  
She was surprised when she heard Nakuru's high-pitched voice at the other end of the line.  
  
"Tomoyo-chan?" Nakuru's voice trembled. "Please help us, Eriol-sama..."  
  
Tomoyo's body went cold.  
  
*****  
  
Authors' Notes: Of course we are going to continue this! And it'll be longer, we promise! (Hey, that rhymes!) 


	2. Don't Mess With A StressedOut Woman

Farsighted SibylSofiana  
  
Chapter Two Don't Mess With A Stressed Out Woman  
  
" " talking out loud [ ] thoughts  
  
Three hours later, she was on the plane headed for England together with two of her bodyguards. When she had called up her mother, Sonomi Daidouji only asked her over the phone where she was going and how long she would be away. Tomoyo could almost see her okaasan's raised eyebrow when she told her that she was needed in London.  
  
"Okaasan, it's an emergency, I need to go right away."  
  
"All right. I'll call ahead and have your ticket ready at the airport. Take Akiko and Rei along with you, they're due for a vacation anyway."  
  
"Arigatou, okaasan, I'll call you once I get there."  
  
"Take care, darling," Sonomi said goodbye, then hung up the phone.  
  
@@@@@  
  
Tomoyo was sandwiched between Akiko and Rei, who were quite eager to do some sightseeing in London. Despite such short notice, Daidouji's bodyguards were trained and ready for any emergency. So when Tomoyo informed them they were leaving for London immediately, they didn't even bat an eyelash.  
  
Tomoyo brooded on the plane, wishing for a moment Sakura was with her. Sakura's smiles and optimism always cheered her up, and right now her head was pounding with all the thinking and worrying.  
  
She then brushed the thought aside impatiently. Sakura didn't need any trouble or worries for once. She needed to enjoy this vacation time together with her whole family and Syaoran's. Tomoyo would take care of this herself and spare her sunny-smiled friend the anxiety and worry, the way she always did.  
  
[Besides,] she thought to herself sadly, [I had better get used to not having Sakura around much in the future.] She sighed. [Best not to think about it. Right now you have other things to worry about.]  
  
She fell back to thinking about Nakuru's phone call earlier. The moment she had heard Nakuru's voice, she knew this was the something she had been waiting for. The anxiety in Nakuru's voice was enough for her to decide quickly without Nakuru having to tell her anything.  
  
"I'll be there as soon as possible, Nakuru," she assured an obviously distressed Moon Guardian, before quickly arranging with the maid to have her clothes packed and ready within the next half hour.  
  
She and Nakuru had been corresponding or calling as often as she and Hiiragizawa-kun did, and they had gotten close. She could see that the Moon Guardian needed a friend - a female friend, one to talk to about clothes, boys and other stuff girls talk about.  
  
Well, there was Mizuki-sensei. But Mizuki-sensei was quite busy with her work and therefore not at home most of the time, while Tomoyo was only a phone call away. As for Hiiragizawa, he was Master and he was male. And Spinel Sun was a cat. So, that left Tomoyo. And Nakuru was worried about Hiiragizawa-kun for some reason.  
  
Hiiragizawa Eriol. She had finally gotten to know this reincarnation of Clow Reed through their correspondence and phone calls. They shared the same fervor and dedication for Sakura-chan, their love of teasing Li-kun. But even when she thought she knew him, she knew there were mysteries hidden in the depths of those cerulean eyes. Tomoyo's camera-trained eye could pick up nuances of certain people's feelings through facial expressions and body language, and she believed that eyes were truly the window to a person's soul.  
  
Hiiragizawa's were too all-knowing and sad.  
  
[What was wrong with Hiiragizawa?] Tomoyo pondered again silently, her head pounding harder than ever.  
  
Akiko had already signaled the flight attendant, who soon came over and gave Tomoyo an aspirin and a cup of water, which Tomoyo accepted gratefully.  
  
@@@@  
  
In front of Eriol's bedroom door were his two guardians, keeping vigil.  
  
[What happened, Eriol?] thought Spinel as he stood silent guard, all sleek and supple in his dark true form. It has been two days now, since Mizuki- san left. And Eriol had locked himself in his room and had not come out since then.  
  
Desperately worried, Ruby Moon had been ready to send her ruby shards to destroy the door when Eriol-sama's cold voice warned her that if she did, he'd disown her. Upon hearing that beloved voice turn cold on her, Ruby Moon had transformed back to her false form and cried outside the door.  
  
The guardians had begged and pleaded for Eriol to open the door, to talk to them, to eat the food Nakuru had made, but to no avail. So now they stood guard, waiting  
  
Spinel could remember the last letter he had written to Keroberos a few months back:  
  
Keroberos, Eriol-sama has been acting a little strange lately. He's always distracted and I think it has something to do with Kaho. Ever since Clow- san's memories have left him, he's been feeling adrift and confused. He doesn't know how to be Eriol - he's been Clow Reed's incarnation for so long. And the thing is, I often catch Kaho-san looking at Eriol-sama as if she didn't know him. I feel something's going to happen soon.  
  
And he was right. When Nakuru had shown him the letter left by Kaho, he knew that it had finally come down to this. And Eriol-sama was taking it hard. What was he supposed to do?  
  
A vein popped out of Spinel's head as he was once again interrupted from his thoughts by Nakuru's hiccups.  
  
"Stop that, Ruby Moon. Our Master doesn't need weakness right now," he said sternly.  
  
"I...I know that." Nakuru said in between hiccups. "That's why I would have asked Sakura-chan to come if she were at home but she wasn't, so..." Nakuru was unable to finish her sentence as Suppi turned two baleful eyes on her.  
  
"You called the Card Mistress? What were you thinking, Ruby Moon? Do you want to see her upset? Our Master is our responsibility and we..." he wasn't able to continue as the doorbell rang and Nakuru hurriedly went downstairs to get it, delaying Spinel's reprimand.  
  
"I'm not finished yet, Ruby Moon!" he called out but she didn't seem to hear.  
  
Irritated with Nakuru, Spinel only flicked his tail and resumed guard. A few minutes later, Spinel spotted an exhausted-looking girl being guided by Nakuru up the stairs.  
  
[What is she up to now? ] Spinel got irritated at the thought of Ruby Moon bringing strangers to the house. And Spinel was in his true form, no less! Their Master wouldn't like it. Spinel had half-expected the Card Mistress to appear, but now there this strange girl. Humph.  
  
The girl was slender and had dark hair falling down in waves to her waist. She was comforting Nakuru and as she came closer, Spinel thought she looked vaguely familiar.  
  
[Wait a minute. Could it be? ] Hope flared briefly in Spinel's aqua eyes. He had a sense for things, especially those affecting his master. Now his senses were pulsating with awareness of the girl.  
  
[Hmm..she might be able to help after all. ]  
  
And then he heard her soft voice addressing him.  
  
"Good evening Spinel-san. Where is Hiiragizawa-kun?"  
  
Wordlessly, Spinel inclined his head towards Master Eriol's door. Tomoyo came up to the door and knocked softly.  
  
"Hiiragizawa-kun? It's me, Tomoyo. Onegai, open the door."  
  
No answer.  
  
Tomoyo turned to Spinel.  
  
"Why did he lock himself up? Where is Mizuki-sensei? Shouldn't we call her?" Tomoyo inquired before adding, "I'm sure she'll be able to help us out."  
  
Spinel was about to answer when the door to Eriol's room was thrown open forcefully, the doorknob scraping paint off the wall where it hit. Miraculously, out came the Master himself, looking thin and haggard, as he fixed his angry eyes towards Tomoyo. While everything else had failed, the mention of Kaho's name was now the only thing that had made him come out of his room.  
  
And Eriol was angry.  
  
"You'll do no such thing, Tomoyo-san," Eriol bit out. "Who do you think you are, coming here without invitation!? You have no right to meddle in my affairs. It's my business. Stay out of it!" He glared furiously at Spinel and Nakuru, who cringed. "And that goes for you two!"  
  
@@@@@  
  
After checking in at the hotel and calling home to reassure her mother, Tomoyo had insisted that they immediately go straight to Hiiragizawa Manor, amid Rei and Akiko's protests that it was already late and Tomoyo was already tired and they could go in the morning. Tomoyo had packed an overnight bag and headed straight for the door without waiting to see if the bodyguards followed. They only looked at each other and shook their heads. The legendary Amamiya stubbornness was in effect and there was nothing they could do except follow Tomoyo out the door.  
  
The two reluctantly hired two cars to take them to the Manor, Akiko driving Tomoyo, while Rei followed them in the other. They left in the second car only after Tomoyo promised to call them as soon as she was ready to head home for Tomoeda.  
  
When Nakuru saw Tomoyo, she almost staggered in relief.  
  
"Tomoyo-chan, you're here!" Nakuru hugged her friend, grabbed her case and ushered her inside. Tomoyo hugged her back.  
  
"I promised I would, Nakuru. Now where's Hiiragizawa?"  
  
Nakuru had gestured and led her up the staircase. If she wasn't so anxious about Hiiragizawa, Tomoyo would have oohed and ahhed at the beauty of the Eriol's home As it was, she hurried up the stairs, following Nakuru to the end of the corridor where Spinel waited outside a room.  
  
She greeted Spinel, and knocked at the door, but Eriol didn't answer. If only she wasn't so tired!  
  
"Why did he lock himself up? Where is Mizuki-sensei? Shouldn't we call her? I'm sure she'll be able to help us out... "  
  
Before she even finished, the door suddenly slammed open and blazing blue eyes turned to face her. Eriol looked even more haggard and tired than she did that she wanted to comfort him, but he leveled those hard eyes at her and then accused her! Her, of meddling!  
  
"Stay out of it! And that goes for you two!" Hiiragizawa had bit out.  
  
Suddenly, all of Tomoyo's exhaustion and jet lag disappeared. She took a step towards Eriol just as he stepped backward, seeing a look he'd never seen before appear on her face. The two guardians wisely retreated as they watched the two from a safe distance.  
  
"EXCUSE ME?!?" She was suddenly white-hot with fury and incredulity.  
  
"I flew straight from Japan, forced myself to eat horrible plane food, disturbed my Circadian clock rhythm just to get here and spent hours worrying about you, and for what? Just so you could open that damned door and tell me off?"  
  
The master and his guardians all stood and stared wide-eyed at her, disbelieving. Eriol's rage suddenly left him and he made a motion to speak, but Tomoyo interrupted him.  
  
"Since I've already started my speech you might as well let me finish." Tomoyo's hands were now on her hips. She was not the daughter of a corporate magnate for nothing! And the injustice of it all! She fumed silently while pointing a finger at Eriol's chest.  
  
"If it weren't for the feeling I got that something might happen soon, I would now be in Hongkong, WITH Sakura, ON a vacation, videotaping Sakura and Li-kun turn into human tomatoes while Touya-kun popped veins by the second --" she waved her hand for emphasis.  
  
"Instead I'm here, exhausted and hungry and cold, all because your guardians care enough to worry about you to call ANYBODY for help! So don't you dare tell me it's none of my business!" Tomoyo grated out. She had never been this furious before, but then again she had never seen Hiiragizawa act this way before either, and it made her so mad that he was so unjust.  
  
While Tomoyo was still fuming, Eriol looked at his guardians and quickly flashed a guilty look upon seeing Nakuru's tear-streaked face. Spinel looked relieved enough to throw him a disapproving look for his earlier behavior to Tomoyo.  
  
Eriol cleared his throat and turned his gaze to the avenging angel in front of him.  
  
"Gomen ne Miss Tomoyo," Eriol said softly. He felt deflated. [What had come over him?] But he knew.  
  
At his apology, Tomoyo's anger vanished as quickly as it had appeared. She was never one to hold grudges. On impulse, Tomoyo launched herself into Eriol's arms.  
  
"It's okay, Hiiragizawa-kun," Tomoyo looked up at him as she broke into a brilliant smile and repeated Sakura's phrase. "Everything will surely be alright."  
  
Eriol slowly put his arms around her and hugged his friend back.  
  
+++++++++  
  
Ohmygosh! Thanks for the very kind reviews!  
  
Farsighted isn't really the same genre as Across the Miles. We admittedly had a lot of fun with our first fic - we were laughing so hard at the Syaoran vs Touya chapter. As for the ExT moment, Sibyl personally made sure it was there, so we're happy you liked it. Farsighted is our attempt at a more serious tone of writing, and certainly more difficult! Hope you don't mind too much - don't worry, we'll try our best!  
  
On a more personal note, we did not expect immediate reviews because of the new and lousy ff.net format. So, we would like to thank the following: KawaiinessPnay, Shima and Tempis, Tomoyo-chan, and Aurora Starcrystal. You definitely made our day! Yay! 


	3. Stirrings

Farsighted  
  
By SibylSofiana  
  
Disclaimer: Extends to previous and forthcoming chapters.  
  
Sibyl: "Regretfully, Eriol isn't mine! I don't mind sharing, though." Sofiana: (cough, cough) "Ah...we don't own CCS."  
  
'Nuff said.  
  
* * for thoughts  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Stirrings  
  
Tomoyo woke up to sunshine in the early morning hours of London. Still tired but hungry, she got out of bed in search of breakfast. She managed to find a robe by the door (probably Mizuki-sensei's), which she wore as she made her way out of the room.  
  
Hiiragizawa's room was across her own, but the door was still closed. *He's probably still asleep, after all the fuss last night,* Tomoyo thought. *Poor Hiiragizawa-kun. I'll have to talk to him once he wakes up. But what if it's about Mizuki-sensei?*  
  
She didn't know if she was qualified to give relationship advice. She was practically loveless - if she counted (or did not count) her special relationship with Sakura-chan. Oh, she tried going out once or twice with some nice boys her mother approved of - but they did not compare with Sakura-chan. *Sigh*  
  
But she had been there for Meiling when her heart was broken. And she was even there for Syaoran when he had been confused about his feelings for Sakura-chan. And there was Nakuru, who needed a girl friend to talk to -- about Touya, Hiiragizawa-kun and all the males in his/her life. So, if it was only an ear that Hiiragizawa-kun needed, she'd be there for him.  
  
~o~  
  
On her way down, she was able to finally appreciate Hiiragizawa's house. It had high ceilings, inviting and cozy nooks, comfortable looking furniture, and beautiful art pieces that gave it a look of simple, understated elegance.  
  
On the wall beside the staircase were paintings of the unlikely trio - Nakuru-chan doing a pirouette; Spinel-san snoozing in the library; Hiiragizawa-kun, serious as always but with a mischievous glint in his eyes almost hidden by his eyeglasses. Almost. For someone as adept as Tomoyo was at looking beyond the picture, it was easy to see -- and there was a blank space on the wall beside Hiiragizawa's portrait - like something had hung there before...  
  
The staircase opened up to the living room, where a grand piano was. She didn't think Hiiragizawa's house would be complete without one. On top of the piano was a picture frame, but it lay facedown. Tomoyo gently lifted it to find a photograph of a beautiful redheaded woman, who was smiling at the photographer. Mizuki-sensei.  
  
She put back the picture frame on the piano and looked around. It certainly was a beautiful house... but she had no time to linger, her stomach was growling!  
  
~o~  
  
After a while she found herself in the kitchen, watching Eriol's guardians prepare breakfast. Or rather, one was preparing breakfast while the other kept giving snide comments.  
  
"The eggs are as hard as a rock, Ruby Moon. Are you sure you know how to boil eggs?"  
  
"That's why they're called HARD-boiled eggs, Suppi-chan," responded Nakuru as she observed veins pop out of Suppi's head.  
  
"MY name is Spinel, not...."  
  
"Besides, it's supposed to make your teeth stronger," continued Nakuru, who ignored Suppi's outburst.  
  
"CALCIUM is supposed to make your teeth stronger, Ruby Moon. And you get that from milk, not HARD eggs."  
  
"You're just jealous 'coz i'm pretty and you're not."  
  
"What has that got to do with our conversation!?! You're changing the subject!"  
  
Before they could bicker in earnest, they heard someone giggling behind them. They turned to find Tomoyo at the kitchen archway, her hand covering her mouth in an attempt to muffle her laughter.  
  
"G...Good morning Naku...Nakuru-chan, Spinel-san," Tomoyo said, in between gasps of laughter. Spinel Sun nodded gravely, while Nakuru squealed.  
  
"We-didn't-know-you-were-there-you-must-be-hungry-don't-worry-I'll-finish- making-breakfast-soon-come-and-sit-down-and-have-tea!!!", she said all in one breath, earning another giggle from Tomoyo.  
  
"I could help you if you like," she volunteered, but Nakuru waved her away.  
  
"No...no, Suppi-chan and I can do it! Come and sit down!"  
  
"Ah, do you mind if I make a call first?"  
  
"Of course not, Tomoyo-chan! Are you calling the hotel? You can tell them you're checking out later because you're definitely staying here for the summer!"  
  
Tomoyo had been intending to call Sakura, but at Nakuru's words she looked up startled. She had only thought she'd be staying for a few days before going home to Tomoeda.  
  
"Wouldn't Hiiragizawa-kun mind my staying here?"  
  
"Of course not. Go on, go on, call the hotel now. We can return your rental car later. Eriol has three, and he gave me one of them, so we can go around! Shopping!"  
  
Bemusedly, Tomoyo left the kitchen but not before seeing Nakuru forcefeed Spinel some sugar.  
  
@@@@@  
  
Sakura was comfortably close to Syaoran who had her in a nice, warm hug. Touya was conveniently being "inconvenienced" by Syaoran's predatory sisters, which Syaoran was thankful for, as it gave him a little private time with Sakura without Touya glaring over his shoulder.  
  
They were just talking, updating each other about school and their friends. Sakura had been talking about Tomoyo when the phone rang. As Sakura snuggled closer, he reached for the phone with his free hand.  
  
"Moshi, moshi, Li residence..." he was only half listening, but when he heard the voice on the other side of the line, he straightened up. "Tomoyo! Hi, where are you? Hai, Sakura's here with me. Hold on," he handed the phone over to the excited girl beside him.  
  
"Tomoyo-chan! Wish you were here, everything's just wonderful! They're making a fuss about Otousan and Kero-chan, and Onii-chan's so mean, he's so...what? You're WHERE?!?"  
  
Surprised at her change in tone, Syaoran looked at Sakura, who was rapidly becoming red in the face and worried. "What is it?" he whispered. "Did Tomoyo go somewhere?"  
  
Sakura mouthed the words quickly, and he was amazed.  
  
"Tomoyo's in London?"  
  
He suddenly thought about Hiiragizawa. Was something wrong?  
  
"Is he alright? You haven't talked to him yet?" Sakura listened and then, "Are you sure? All right, just call us when you need us, okay? Yes, yes, I'll say hello to everybody. Please take care of Eriol-kun, Tomoyo-chan! You take care, too. Bye."  
  
Once Sakura put the phone down, Syaoran looked at her curiously.  
  
"It's Eriol ... something's wrong but Tomoyo won't tell me about it. She keeps saying she can handle it, but I'm still worried. Maybe I should go there..."  
  
"Now, now, don't overreact," Syaoran tried to calm her down. "I'm sure Tomoyo can handle it whatever it is. I don't think Hiiragizawa will want all of us barging in. Let's just wait a while. If we have to, we can all go, alright?"  
  
Sakura reluctantly gave in. She was worried about Eriol, but she trusted Tomoyo. If she needed to, she could always dream later tonight and find out what was wrong.  
  
@@@@@  
  
Dream Sequence:  
  
At that moment, Eriol found himself in the throes of a strange dream. He found himself in his garden back in Tomoeda. No, Clow's garden.  
  
And then Clow was there.  
  
It was strange, Eriol thought, to look at Clow Reed like he was a separate person. Clow was kneeling by a bed of chrysanthemums and he, Eriol Hiiragizawa, was walking towards the strangely compelling figure. It was strange because he and Clow Reed were one and the same. Or so he thought all these years.  
  
Clow Reed looked up and gave Eriol a gentle smile. He slowly straightened up until they were almost eye level. Eriol diffidently noted that they had the same dark hair, almost the same height, the same body build, the same glasses. But while they had the same hint of sadness in their eyes, Clow's was somehow more profound than Eriol's current sadness. And hurt.  
  
"Eriol," he turned back to look at those familiar eyes, eyes that looked at him kindly, like a father to a confused son.  
  
"Would you say Kinomoto Fujitaka's work is done?"  
  
Confused, Eriol looked at Clow. Fujitaka-san? But all Fujitaka had to do was take care of Sakura.  
  
He answered, "Yes, I would say he's done a good job of taking care of Sakura."  
  
"Of loving Nadeshiko, and raising Touya and Sakura, without magic?"  
  
"Yes, I would say Fujitaka-san did a wonderful job. Why are you asking me this?" he asked, but Clow ignored his question.  
  
"Have you already done the work you were meant to do? Is Sakura the Card Mistress? Are the cards already hers?" Clow asked.  
  
"Yes, my work is done." Saying those words made Eriol feel curiously empty. What was his purpose now?  
  
"Then my work is done as well," replied Clow.  
  
Eriol looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Eriol, you are half my reincarnation. And so is Fujitaka. But both your work is done. Fujitaka isn't Clow Reed. You aren't Clow Reed. You are Eriol Hiiragizawa - it was meant to be that way in the end. Fujitaka has his own life, now it's time for you to have yours."  
  
"Is that why I'm losing my memories - your memories?"  
  
"Yes, you're meant to make your own. Clow Reed the Sorcerer is gone - nobody should have that much power, or remember that much. What remaining magic you have is enough for you to make sure that Sakura will always be protected. Not to mention that being protected by that Li wolf cub is enough in itself," Clow Reed grinned.  
  
Eriol grew silent. "What about Kaho?"  
  
Clow became serious once again.  
  
"Mizuki Kaho is a vessel of power - she was raised to embrace magic. She cannot help but be attracted to you, a reincarnation of Clow Reed. A part of her will always care for you, but... seek an equal, not a mentor, Eriol."  
  
"But I love her."  
  
"Yes, I know. But as it is time for you to move on, so must she. Her work is done. Let her go. Seek Eriol Hiiragizawa's true heart, not Clow Reed's reflected needs. Be at peace, Eriol Hiiragizawa." Clow laid one hand on Eriol's shoulder, then walked away.  
  
Eriol watched him go, feelings of panic touching his breast. Clow! He wanted to shout but he couldn't. As he wrestled with his feelings, a melody drifted by him, soothing and familiar. He gave one last look at the departing Clow, then headed for the sound.  
  
Eriol then opened his eyes.  
  
@@@@@  
  
After her call to Sakura, Tomoyo decided to take a stroll in the gardens while waiting for breakfast. The air was cool, lavishing the blooming flowers with dew. She sat on a chair just under a willow tree and closed her eyes, losing herself in the heady fragrance of the dew-drenched blossoms around her. She started to hum, then let loose anyway in full melody. She loved this certain song - it was soft and beautiful. It talked of new beginnings and letting go of memories. It certainly soothed her when she was particularly lonely without Sakura-chan.  
  
"Ohayo gozaimasu, Miss Tomoyo." A voice said gravely behind her.  
  
Tomoyo opened her eyes and turned her head to see a tousle-haired young man in a deep blue velvet robe standing behind her. His dark hair was standing on end and his eyes were scrunched up behind his glasses... she had to admit he looked adorable. Most of the time, he was always neat as a pin, not a hair out of place. So, seeing him like this, even the way he was last night, made him seem more human and approachable.  
  
"Hiiragizawa-kun! Oh my, did I wake you?" She had forgotten that his rooms were overlooking the garden, and she might have disturbed him while she was singing.  
  
"Yes, you did, but I can think of no other pleasant way to wake up than to hear your lovely singing voice."  
  
"Too bad we can't bring your piano out," she quipped.  
  
"Who says?" Before she could even blink, the piano was already there in front of them.  
  
"Remind me next time to be careful with what I wish for." Tomoyo said dryly. "With you around, I'm gonna start believing the impossible is possible."  
  
"At the moment, I am your most humble servant." Eriol replied extravagantly. "I'm happy to know Miss Tomoyo has such faith in me. Would you like to play a duet? It will be just like the old days."  
  
"That would be fun!" Before either of them could move towards the piano, Tomoyo's stomach grumbled as if in protest of activity before sustenance. Tomoyo's usually serene face turned into an embarrasingly red hue hauntingly similar to Syaoran's whenever Sakura was in the vicinity.  
  
Eriol, being the gentleman that he was, resisted the urge to grin. He simply smiled as he extended his arm to Tomoyo.  
  
"Let's go eat breakfast first, shall we?"  
  
As he led her back to the kitchens, Tomoyo hesitatingly looked at him.  
  
"Hiiragizawa-kun..."  
  
"Yes, Miss Tomoyo?" he looked at her inquiringly, but she hadn't the heart to ask. Not yet. Instead, she shook her head and talked to him about Sakura-chan.  
  
@@@@@  
  
After breakfast and a quick shower, Tomoyo was ensconced in Eriol's Aston Martin (drool, baby, drool!) - Eriol sheepishly explaining to Tomoyo something about the latest James Bond movie -- while Nakuru drove Tomoyo's rental car, Spinel in the passenger seat. They drove to the hotel, where Nakuru accompanied Tomoyo in returning the rental and checking out of the hotel. Tomoyo just left a message at the desk for Akiko and Rei to contact her if necessary at the Hiiragizawa Manor.  
  
As they all stepped out of the hotel, Eriol glanced at the happily chattering girls and asked them, "Well, where do you want to go next?"  
  
Tomoyo and Nakuru both looked at each other before simultaneously answering Eriol.  
  
"Shopping!"  
  
@@@@@  
  
Eriol and Spinel patiently waited outside each shop the girls stopped by, with each trip increasing Eriol's load of shopping bags, mostly Nakuru's. Sporting a smug look on his face, Eriol manfully refused Tomoyo's assistance, saying his muscles could more than handle a few trifling bags. (Which of course led Tomoyo to eye his physique. His thinner frame, probably from his enforced starvation of two days, did not disguise his otherwise well-toned body). With an evil look, Nakuru dragged Tomoyo into a nearby toy shop.  
  
A few minutes later, Nakuru emerged from the store with a smirk on her own face that rivalled his own (after all, she did learn it from him). The smug look vanished from Eriol's face as he eyed the humongous teddy bear Nakuru handed to him. As if the size wasn't enough, it also had miles and miles of lace and pink ribbons that he had to carry along with their earlier purchases. Finally, unable to endure the amused stares of other female shoppers, he buried his face in the fluffy teddy bear and begged Nakuru to end his torment.  
  
"Where you saying something, Master? I can't hear you." Nakuru managed to look innocent.  
  
"Mfff Nkkrumphktn mmstrrr --" garbled sounds come out from Eriol, whose face was still buried beneath the stuffed toy.  
  
"You're talking to the bear, Eriol-sama, not to me. Haven't you told me countless times how rude that is?"  
  
Eriol lifted his head to reveal glowing cheeks.  
  
"I give up. You win, Nakuru. Can you now take pity on your poor master and deposit this baggage in the car?" Blue puppy eyes looked pleadingly at Nakuru.  
  
"Awww... Master is so kawaii when he does that! How can I resist?" Nakuru took the bear from his arms and headed towards the parking lot.  
  
*How can she indeed?* Thoughts of irresistible, pleading cerulean eyes strayed in Tomoyo's mind as she watched Eriol sigh in relief. She jerked herself away from her thoughts. *What am I thinking?*  
  
@@@@@  
  
Then had dinner in a not-so-fancy restaurant that allowed pets ("Oh, Suppi- chan won't bite, he's been house trained" -- earning Nakuru a quick baring of fangs). As if the past two days never happened, they were laughing and swapping stories with each other, trying to outrival each other in telling the most outrageous ones. Hiiragizawa won, of course. Looking at him talking animatedly to Nakuru, Tomoyo thought to herself, *At least he's laughing now...*  
  
While the two were bickering on the way back to the car, Eriol walked quietly with Tomoyo, who could almost see the wheels in his mind turning. He could feel her looking at him questioningly, but never prying. Amazingly enough, this had been an almost normal day - and he admitted to himself that he was glad Daidouji Tomoyo was here. Ensuring that her stay in London as a guest would be wonderful made him temporarily forget his problem with Kaho.  
  
"Miss Tomoyo?"  
  
"Hai?" her soft voice answered, violet eyes curiously compassionate.  
  
"I can give you a quick tour, early tomorrow morning. Just the two of us."  
  
"That would be nice, Hiiragizawa-kun."  
  
"Then - we could talk..." She only nodded, and walked with him companionably back to the car.  
  
@@@@@  
  
When he led her back to Kaho's room for an early night, he fell silent again, but managed to say a brief good night. As his own head hit the pillow, exhaustion made him close his eyes immediately and drift into a deep slumber. But this time, his dreams ended on a happier note... Somehow, he knew Sakura had a hand in it.  
  
@@@@@  
  
Before he knew it, his eyes immediately opened of their own accord. The day curiously boded well and he felt refreshed. He took a quick shower and headed down the stairs to prepare breakfast. He felt guilty about letting Nakuru do the chores. ANY chore. Irrational, yes. A part of him did believe that Nakuru's sole duty was to ornament his surroundings with his bubbly personality. His/Her. Aaarggh. (Eriol wasn't even going into THAT. It was too early to have a headache.)  
  
After a full day yesterday, he doubted anyone else was awake at this time. But he was already eager to act as tour guide and take Tomoyo around London. Then they could talk. Right.  
  
He was already halfway towards the kitchen when he heard the doorbell ring.  
  
*I'd better answer that.* Eriol hummed tunelessly and walked to the front door.  
  
"Hello, Eriol."  
  
It was Kaho.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
Authors' Babble:  
  
Whew, this is a very loooong chapter! It's all YOUR fault, all those nice reviews went to our heads, so now we're racking our brains for more and more juicy stuff. ^_^  
  
We send our thanks to the following reviewers: Rin the Kitsune (Sesshomaru yumyum!), June, Aurora Starcrystal, not applicable, KawaiinessPnay, misery- chick, and Dana Daidouji!  
  
Yeah, well, Eriol did deserve the tongue-lashing from Tomoyo. Cute as he is, we can't have him bullying our heroine, ne?  
  
The Aston Martin is probably a bit too much, but then again, if Eriol has the means, he'd splurge tastefully, right? ^_^ As for the money, let's just say that Clow Reed left some in a trust fund somewhere.  
  
Sofiana: Beware, next chapter is mostly about Kaho, so please be nice. (I like Kaho, and it's not a crime! But Tomoyo would be better for Eriol, ne?) Sibyl would like to do some Kaho-bashing - Sibyl: You got that right! Sofiana: -- but we will be nice, and appreciate Kaho for what she is, all right? Sibyl: What! Kaho is nothing but a -mmpfh! (muffled noises of scuffling feet and unrolling packaging tape) Sofiana: Phew! Unfortunately, Sibyl is busy and cannot be contacted for more commentary at this time. 


	4. Sayonara

FARSIGHTED By SibylSofiana  
  
Chapter Four Sayonara  
  
Yep, this is the "Kaho" chapter.  
  
Kaho's POV *FLASHBACK* A few months back.  
  
Kaho felt guilty about blasting Eriol earlier. The report wasn't really that important, but lately she'd been getting more irritated at the small things Eriol did wrong. She tucked her smooth red hair over her ear. What was wrong with her?  
  
It was probably the workload - she was taking on more responsibility now. She was already spending less and less time home and she owed it to Eriol.  
  
She sighed.  
  
~o~  
  
She had always been drawn to younger men, men who were younger by age, but already old souls.  
  
Like Touya. Touya had not acted like a teenager then. He was always the strong one, the protector, the one who carried the weight of responsibility.  
  
Like Eriol. Eriol had looked like a child then, but with Clow's memories and his magic, he was also an old soul. And she had been drawn to his aura of power.  
  
But lately...he was acting not like a very powerful sorcerer, but a mature, yet confused teenager. She would of course, soothe him and give him advice. There it was. The niggling feeling that she was no longer the dependent partner in the relationship... she felt like she was taking care of Eriol now. Like an older sister.  
  
And it certainly did not help things any that they had a twelve-year age gap. With Touya, four years was not too much. But you did not parade a sixteen-year old at university and introduce him to your colleagues as your boyfriend. It would cost her her teaching career and her reputation. Not everyone was so open-minded.  
  
Good thing Eriol understood. She sighed again.  
  
~o~  
  
She had managed to talk to Touya once before Eriol got home from school. Those two had become bosom buddies ever since Touya let bygones be bygones in exchange for ganging up on Li-kun.  
  
"Hello, Kaho. Is the weasel taking care of you?" Touya said by way of greeting. Even if he and Eriol had called a truce, Touya still felt compelled to call him names.  
  
She snorted. "More like the other way around. Honestly, you boys are so awful to pick on Li-kun! What will Sakura say?"  
  
"What the Kaijuu doesn't know won't hurt her..." She could hear the smirk in his voice, and all she could do was heave an aggravated sigh.  
  
"Kaho?" Touya's voice was suddenly quiet. "How are things with you and him?"  
  
"We're okay...although I feel so strange sometimes..."  
  
"Like you're taking care of a younger boy. You've gone through that before."  
  
"Touya, you never acted like a fifteen year old when we were together!"  
  
"More like thirty, huh?" Touya teased, then turned serious again. "Is he still losing Clow's memories?"  
  
"Yes, and sometimes he freaks out when he can't remember something Clow did - probably another prank on Keroberos a lot of years ago."  
  
"Just be patient with him okay? He probably's having a hard time dealing with it. The pranks help him cope, I guess."  
  
"Probably." She hears Eriol coming through the front door. "He's just come home from school. Before he grabs the phone..." she smiles gratefully. "...thanks for the advice, Touya. Say hello to Tsukishiro-kun for me."  
  
"No problem."  
  
"No final words for Nakuru, Touya? I can call her over," she teased.  
  
"Don't you dare!" Before she could tease him more, she handed the phone over to an excited Eriol. Soon he and Touya were deep into conversation about the best way to handle a certain stuffed toy in Syaoran's bedroom that Kaho could only roll her eyes.  
  
~o~  
  
The funny thing was, after that talk with Touya, she felt more and more distanced from Eriol. He was corresponding regularly with Daidouji-san, and talking to more and more people his age. And she felt out of it. Separated.  
  
They were sipping tea in the living room one day when Nakuru came in with another letter from Daidouji.  
  
"You seem to be exchanging more letters with Daidouji-san than Sakura lately, Eriol." Kaho noted quietly.  
  
Eriol grinned.  
  
"Sakura-san doesn't need me as much since she's already got Li-kun, and it probably comforts Daidouji-san to have someone to talk to. She probably won't admit it, but she's feeling a little lonely. It also gives her an opportunity to plot things.."  
  
"Don't tell me you're pulling a prank on Li Syaoran again? And with Touya, no less. However did you manage to get on his good side?"  
  
'Well, Touya-san has set aside certain animosities towards me in order to get back at Xiao Lang..." Kaho just rolls her eyes.  
  
"Don't you boys have anything better to do?"  
  
"Not at the moment, Kaho." Eriol suddenly spots Spinel's teacup and grins wickedly.  
  
~o~  
  
Of course she appreciated fun.  
  
But somehow lately, she appreciated her other colleagues brand of humor. They were mostly her age or older, with the same wit she enjoyed, that she usually ended up late having dinner with them after discussions...  
  
Like tonight. She looked forward to dinner with some of the other girls after the faculty meeting.  
  
The young man looked up from his Chemistry homework as the older woman went past him on her way to the door.  
  
"Don't wait up for me, Eriol. The faculty meeting will take a little while, so sleep early, okay?" she said over her shoulder. He stood up quickly and grabbed her hand.  
  
"Aren't you even giving me a kiss goodbye?" he smiled gently.  
  
She gave him a perfunctory kiss, which was not really what he wanted. They hadn't seen each other much lately, given her busy teaching schedule and his increasing schoolwork.  
  
So, he pulled her close and lifted his lips toward hers. She pulled away first.  
  
"Eriol...I'll be late. I'll see you tomorrow, all right? Good night." She wouldn't even look at him.  
  
Eriol just stood there looking at the door.  
  
~o~  
  
One day it all came to a head. She was stressed out from work, apart from being confused about her disloyal feelings, and Eriol was upset over the fact that Kaho was almost never home.  
  
"You're always at the university, Kaho. I never see you!" Kaho was surprised at his raised tone. Eriol was always polite to a fault, given his past life as Clow Reed, that she was startled.  
  
"But Eriol, this work is important to me. I thought you understood that," she replied wearily. "Clow would..."  
  
"But I'm not Clow..." Eriol's eyes widened, as if taken aback by what he had just said.  
  
At his declaration, Kaho stared at Eriol and suddenly the truth dawned on her.  
  
She answered quietly. "No, you aren't."  
  
~o~  
  
She finally finished the letter. The funny thing was, she could only breathe a sigh of relief, which immediately made her feel guilty. Eriol loved her. And she loved him once. And he was going to be hurt.  
  
She grabbed her suitcase and headed downstairs to the living room. Nakuru was in the kitchen making tea.  
  
"Nakuru-chan."  
  
"Hai, Kaho-san?" Then Nakuru saw her suitcase. "W-where are you going?"  
  
"I'm leaving, Nakuru."  
  
"But, Eriol-sama!"  
  
Kaho handed her the letter she had written. "Will you please give this to Eriol for me, Nakuru-chan?"  
  
"D-did I do anything wrong, Kaho-san?" Nakuru asked in a quivering voice. "I'm s-sorry, please don't go! Eriol-sama will be so sad!"  
  
"You didn't do anything, Nakuru-chan. It's just me. I've changed." She gave the Moon Guardian a soft pat on the cheek. "Thank you for everything. I'll come by sometime next week to get my other belongings. I'll talk to Eriol then." It was probably cowardly of her to leave without talking to Eriol first, but she decided that this was the best course. She grabbed the handle of her suitcase and left the kitchen, leaving a dazed Nakuru behind.  
  
She met Spinel Sun in the living room. The Sun Guardian was in his true form, watching her.  
  
"You're leaving then, Kaho-san?"  
  
"Hai, Spinel. Take care of Eriol for me."  
  
~o~  
  
When Eriol finally understood what Kaho's letter meant, he felt numb. Kaho had left him. She had left him when he needed her.  
  
He turned away from Nakuru, still holding Kaho's letter.  
  
"Eriol-sama..."  
  
He heard her, but he ignored her quivering voice and headed towards the living room to where he had passed by Spinel Sun. He grabbed his backpack and jacket and went slowly up the stairs. He stopped by Kaho's portrait by the wall.  
  
"Spinel Sun." The Sun Guardian looked up at his empty voice. "Please remove this. I do not wish to see it again."  
  
"Hai, Eriol."  
  
His Master continued making his slow way toward his rooms, only glancing at Kaho's empty room across from his. Then he went and locked himself in his rooms, never to come out -- until two days later when Daidouji Tomoyo knocked on his door.  
  
~o~  
  
And there she was finally at his door. Kaho.  
  
"Hello, Eriol."  
  
"Hello, Kaho." What else was there to say?  
  
He just stood there looking at her, as if he hadn't seen her before. She had worn her hair loose, and it reflected the rays of the early morning sun that it hurt his eyes.  
  
When Kaho had lived with them, she tied her hair back in a ponytail or braided it, and wore loose shirts and jeans. Today, she was dressed formally, that he was struck with the fact that she looked so much older than he was used to. *Is she already distancing herself from me?*  
  
"May I come in?" Kaho asked quietly, looking at him with soft, gentle eyes.  
  
~o~  
  
Mechanically, he opened the door and let her in. By mutual consent, they both headed towards the library. By habit, he waited for her to be seated before he sat down himself on the plush armchair by the fireplace.  
  
"Why, Kaho?" he asked first. She took a deep breath and answered calmly.  
  
"Eriol, it just wasn't working anymore. We're two different people now. Remember what you said last week?"  
  
"That I wasn't Clow." Eriol replied tonelessly.  
  
"Well, you were right. I'm not saying this to hurt you, Eriol. But I must admit I had been drawn to the Clow in you from the very beginning. And now..."  
  
"I'm just Eriol." He finished for her.  
  
Why did it hurt so much? It was the truth. He was just Eriol now.  
  
"I still love you, Eriol. But no longer the same way it once was. Now, it's as if you're a brother to me..." Every word felt like a stab through his heart, but he managed to remain impassive.  
  
"It's all right, Kaho. I understand. Really, I do."  
  
He remembered that dream about Clow. About letting her go.  
  
He didn't want to. But there was already a wall between them, and he knew he could not breach it. Never again. He let out a deep sigh.  
  
"Where will you be staying?"  
  
Kaho answered, "A colleague of mine offered to share her flat with me. It's small, but I can afford it. Don't worry, Eriol," she reassured him. "I'll be fine."  
  
He could only manage a nod.  
  
"I'll just get my things and let myself out before Nakuru and Spinel wake up."  
  
"Nakuru already packed your stuff for you as you requested," he supplied, then he suddenly remembered his surprise guest. "Ah, Daidouji-san is sleeping in your room..."  
  
Kaho was surprised. "Daidouji-san is here?"  
  
He managed to look sheepish. "Nakuru was worried about me and called Daidouji-san over." Eriol was not about to mention his two days of locking himself up and starving.  
  
"It was good of her to come. I'll try not to wake her," Kaho promised. As she stood up, she said, "Thank you, Eriol. For everything."  
  
He leaned forward, but she kissed him on the forehead instead, which finally made it clear to him that it would never be the same between them.  
  
"Sayonara, Eriol." And she walked out of his life.  
  
@@@@@  
  
Author's notes:  
  
Sofiana: Well, that wasn't too painful, was it? Sibyl: grumble, grumble.  
  
But of course this is an E x T fic. There is NO way it can be any other with Sibyl around. Since Sibyl is here, Sibyl will make sure to write about lots kawaii ExT moments.  
  
Next chapter: Garden scene- Tomoyo and Eriol 


	5. No More Than You Are

Farsighted  
  
By SibylSofiana  
  
Chapter Five  
  
No More Than You Are  
  
The bright, cheery morning sun woke Tomoyo up from her peaceful slumber. *Strange.* She thought. For someone so attuned to music, she noticed it immediately even though it was the first time she heard it. Absolute silence.   
  
It was quiet. Far too quiet. No chirping of birds greeted her as she opened her window. Nothing stirred, not even a breeze.  
  
With a sense of foreboding and not without intuition, she hurriedly dressed and made her way to the gardens below.   
  
She found him leaning against the willow tree, lost in his own thoughts. Unwilling to disturb his solitude, she sat down on the bench near him, hoping to quell her unease with his familiar presence.  
  
@@@@@  
  
He was suspiciously calm. He half-expected himself to rant and rave about love found and love lost. But here he was, alone in the midst of his sanctuary. He felt numb. His eyes settled at some point across the garden, intense but unseeing. His ears heard nothing as if the world fell mute around him. No scent of the garden wafted across him.   
  
Nothing... but magnolias.   
  
His mind barely registered the fact that the magnolias in his garden had not yet bloomed as he turned his head towards the subtle but persistent fragrance. Instead of flowers, he saw a pale, delicate face and amethyst eyes framed by wavy, sable hair.   
  
Tomoyo.  
  
@@@@@  
  
"Hiiragizawa-kun?" Tomoyo's voice came tentatively. Eriol had finally noticed her presence. She didn't like the way he gazed across his garden in those first few minutes. Those sapphire eyes she had gotten so used to seeing glinting with mischief were blank. Unseeing. Lifeless.  
  
As she continued to watch him, she sighed her relief when she saw a spark of life enter his eyes again.   
  
"Kaho arrived to get her things this morning." Eriol said before he turned his eyes away. He couldn't bear to have her feel sorry for him.   
  
Tomoyo bit her lip. * What was she supposed to say? * She wanted to comfort Eriol, but she knew he would probably take it as a sign of pity. She was still pondering on her thoughts when she heard Eriol take a deep breath as if bracing himself.  
  
"Remember the last time you wrote to me? Five days ago I was planning to follow your advice and make it up to Kaho. I got home early to prepare a surprise dinner when Nakuru handed me a letter. Kaho wrote to say goodbye."  
  
Tomoyo's breath caught at her throat. She already had an idea of what happened, but hearing Eriol talk about it somehow made it painful. He talked about it so casually, as if they were discussing the weather. She realized how much it cost him, to speak of it like that.  
  
"Hiiragizawa-kun?"   
  
"I should have read the signs. They were there, but I ignored them." Eriol's voice wavered, as he struggled to contain his composure, unshed tears stinging his eyes.   
  
Tomoyo rose from the bench to walk up to him. She felt so helpless as she watched his torment, unable to do anything.  
  
*Maybe it's because you were never meant to be Clow Reed for so long.*  
  
He lost the struggle. Rivulets of tears coursed down his face as he let go of his pain. Tomoyo gently removed his eyeglasses. Ashamed of his lack of control, he rested his forehead on Tomoyo's shoulder as he fought his tears. Tomoyo stood still, wishing she could do more.   
  
As she felt his pain, she realized how brave Syaoran had really been. To comfort a broken-hearted Sakura, even as his own heart broke. She wouldn't have known what to do. Syaoran had been -- and he still was -- a very brave person. And he had been rewarded with her own sweet Sakura-chan. Her heart soared to think Sakura was now with someone who loved her better than she ever could. Syaoran really deserved Sakura-chan.  
  
Life flooded back to her senses. She took a deep breath as she listened to Eriol's muffled sobs. She didn't feel so helpless anymore. *Everything will surely be alright. *  
  
  
  
@@@@  
  
It was so pathetic. For the first time he felt like he couldn't handle anything at all. He was no longer the powerful Clow Reed. Without that cloak, he didn't know how to cope. "Why is it so hard to be simply Eriol Hiiragizawa?", he bitterly asked himself. He didn't realize he had spoken out loud until he heard Tomoyo's voice answer him.  
  
"I don't see why you're so confused about who you are, Hiiragizawa-kun. Remember how you used to entertain us all with the outrageous stories you told with Yamazaki-kun? You always made me laugh by teasing Li-kun with Sakura. You forced Li-kun to admit his feelings to himself. You cheered up Sakura when she was worried. You helped her realize her true feelings. That was all you, Hiiragizawa-kun. You have always been Eriol to us." She sounded so certain and determined that he was surprisingly comforted.  
  
Calming down a bit, Eriol raised his head from Tomoyo's shoulder and brushed his tears with the back of his fingers. Tomoyo silently handed him his eyeglasses.  
  
"But I hate this, I feel so weak. So powerless." Eriol feebly countered.  
  
He looked so forlorn, like a stubborn child denied of sweets that Tomoyo couldn't help herself. *Kawaii... I wish I had my V8,* she thought before she gave in to her urge and laughed.  
  
Eriol could only look on in surprise as he felt his heart lift at the sound of her laughter. Tomoyo's hands cupped his cheeks and directed his eyes towards her own playful ones.   
  
"Now you know how it feels. You're only human, Eriol."  
  
Eriol's eyes widened. "Only human..." His lips had started to curve into a slow, sweet smile when he stopped, as if something had struck him.   
  
  
  
"Say it again." He softly pleaded.  
  
"You're only human." Tomoyo obliged.  
  
"No. My name. You said my name."   
  
Tomoyo felt her cheeks burn at her rude behavior.   
  
"Gomen nasai, Hiiragizawa-kun. I didn't mean to..."  
  
"Call me by name, Miss Tomoyo. Please." Eriol turned the full force of his charm at her.  
  
"Eriol." Tomoyo said weakly. Eriol beamed. Tomoyo muttered something about puppy-dog eyes being made illegal.   
  
"Then you'd better call me Tomoyo. Not counting that ridiculous pet name you gave me."   
  
Eriol's eyes twinkled. In response to her feigned protest, he only raised her hand to his lips. Then, in a more serious tone he addressed her.  
  
"Thank you, Tomoyo-san. I feel better now."   
  
Tomoyo didn't need to ask what he was talking about.  
  
"What are friends for, Eriol-san?"  
  
"Indeed. What would I do without you?" Eriol replied as they made their way towards the house, neither noticing that Eriol still held her hand.  
  
@@@@@  
  
Neither of them noticed two pairs of eyes watching them from the shadows of the garden. Magenta eyes worriedly followed his creator's form. He didn't know his master harbored such pain.   
  
"Master..." a sigh escaped from his lips.   
  
Alongside him stood a sleek panther with turquoise butterfly wings. Unlike his brother, this guardian worried not for their master. His eyes followed the smaller form beside his master, taking note of his master's unconscious gesture. A singular smile graced his lips, made more rare by the triumphant gleam in his eyes. He murmured so softly, not even his companion could hear.   
  
"Mistress..."   
  
@@@@@  
  
  
  
Eriol and Tomoyo made their way to the kitchen.  
  
"We'd better start making breakfast, Nakuru and Spinel will be up soon," said Tomoyo.   
  
"Yes, I'll start with the tea." Eriol said without moving from his spot.  
  
"Uhm.. Eriol?" Tomoyo looked at him impishly.  
  
"Yes?"   
  
"You need both hands to do that." Tomoyo goodnaturedly explained.  
  
"I know that. Why would you..." Eriol halted his speech as he glanced to where his hands were. Blood slowly crept into his cheeks as he saw one of his hands holding Tomoyo's. He swiftly but reluctantly let go.  
  
"I'm sorry, Tomoyo-san!" Eriol apologized profusely.  
  
"It's alright, Eriol-san." Tomoyo giggled at seeing him so embarrassed. "Let's make breakfast, ne?"  
  
@@@@@  
  
They worked silently for a few minutes before they both realized that the guardians had not yet showed up.   
  
"Where could they be?" Tomoyo thought out loud.  
  
They were about to look for them when the two guardians emerged from the hallway, one looking cheerful while the other looked somber. It would have seemed normal had it not been for the fact that one was used to seeing the expression on the other.  
  
"Ohayo Nakuru-chan, Spinel-san," Tomoyo greeted them as she fixed the table settings.  
  
"Ohayo." They both replied. Spinel Sun seemed back to his normal self. Nakuru, on the other hand, sat limp on her chair, not even bothering to glomp Eriol as was her usual greeting.  
  
They began to eat their breakfast. Spinel sat next to Tomoyo and offered to serve the food, seemingly more solicitous than usual. Nakuru, who usually chattered about her latest crushes, kept silent. Tomoyo's eyes widened in alarm as she looked at them.  
  
* Did Sakura's Change Card escape? What's wrong with these two?* Tomoyo glanced at Eriol to see what he thought of this abrupt change.  
  
Eriol didn't seem to notice anything unusual. He just kept on eating, methodically buttering his toast before he put it in his mouth. He put an apple tart on his plate and cut a slice, nonchalantly picking it up with his fingers. He glanced at Nakuru whom he just seemed to have noticed.  
  
"Nakuru?"   
  
"Yes, Master?" Nakuru replied without glancing at him.  
  
"You forgot your medicine." Eriol gently admonished her. Nakuru opened her mouth to correct him.  
  
Before Tomoyo could ask why Nakuru would need medicine, Eriol crammed the apple tart in his hand into Nakuru's mouth.   
  
All hell broke loose.  
  
@@@@@  
  
Spinel didn't know what to do. First he laughed, then stopped himself to smirk. Then he burst out laughing again, only to stop and smirk again and repeat the cycle.  
  
Eriol looked on a choking and gasping Nakuru, grinning as he ignored Tomoyo rant and rave at him.  
  
Nakuru recovered enough to glomp her master in his seat.  
  
"You're so MEAN, Master!!!" Eriol and Spinel only laughed harder. Nakuru looked at Tomoyo who finally calmed down.  
  
"Look at what I have to put up with, Tomoyo-chan!" Nakuru whined. Tomoyo merely smiled at her.  
  
"I'm glad you're back, Nakuru-chan."   
  
"Huh? What do you mean?" Nakuru asked Tomoyo. It was Eriol, who was underneath her, who answered.  
  
"You seemed to have your sugar levels low, my dear Ruby Moon. Abstinence from sweets isn't good for you."  
  
"You mean I was like Suppi-chan?" Nakuru's eyes widened in horror. Then she embraced Eriol tightly.  
  
"You're so KIND, Master! You don't want me to be like Suppi-chan do you?" Eriol just laughed.   
  
Spinel snorted.  
  
"I'm sure your master loves you just the way you both are," Tomoyo smoothly interjected.  
  
She leaned against her chair as she gazed at them. It was obvious they treated each other like family. * What an unlikely trio, * she mused.   
  
Strangely enough, she felt right at home with them.   
  
~o~  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
Sofiana: Oooh, KAWAII! Sibyl-chan, you've definitely outdone yourself – I LOVE YOUUUUU!!!!  
  
Sibyl (smirks): I know.  
  
Just a small explanation about Ruby Moon/Nakuru – he/she/it doesn't really have an exact gender, but we've decided to make Ruby Moon male, while Nakuru's gender depends on whose perspective you're using. We like HER female, though!  
  
To June and not applicable, hope we've made you happy with the heavy ExT scenes! To Aurora Starcrystal, nice "garden scene", neh? More coming soon!  
  
  
  
If you enjoyed this chapter, please read the prequel "Across the Miles" to find out where it all started (shameless plugging ;p) We're still working on "My Little Wolf" – it's basically about Syaoran from Li Yelan's point of view, but we're putting in Clow's background, as well. It'll be done soon, we hope.  
  
Thanks for the reviews! 


	6. Spinel's Revenge

FARSIGHTED  
  
By SibylSofiana  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Spinel's Revenge  
  
They all spent the next three days going around London for Tomoyo's benefit. Nakuru and Spinel provided loud and noisy but welcome company as they bickered everywhere they went. Eriol provided a calm oasis, only to dangle a sweet in front of dear, dear Spinel Sun and start the uproarious laughter all over again.   
  
Tomoyo laughingly took videos of them, Nakuru preening, Spinel spitting mad. Even Eriol wasn't spared.. He was quite disconcerted with the fact that Tomoyo was now following him around with her videocamera.   
  
"Now I know how Sakura feels," he quipped.   
  
*Like a goldfish in a bowl...* "Why are you taking videos of me now?" he asked Tomoyo curiously.  
  
"I like taking shots of my favorite people. Since Sakura-chan and Syaoran-kun aren't available, you're the next best thing, Eriol-san!" And you're so kawaii! Tomoyo didn't say the last out loud, thinking how embarrassing it would be to say it to his face. He looked so cute! He was wearing a dark blue shirt with a sports collar, khaki pants and loafers. Wayward dark locks fell across his forehead while his eyeglasses framed luminous blue pools. She was glad she wasn't prone to blushing - her face felt warm already. She, Daidouji Tomoyo, of all people - blushing! Even during those moments with Sakura-chan, she never blushed. Her eyes might sparkle, yes, but never a blush.  
  
~o~  
  
The thing was, ever since that day by the garden she had looked at him with new eyes. When they were still in the sixth grade, he was just the new boy, who was nice to her Sakura-chan and who irritated Li-kun so. He was nice, mannerly, but quite mischievous when he felt like it. When he had left to go back to London, she had only felt regret at the fact that a friend was leaving.  
  
She had only started writing him to give him updates about Sakura and Syaoran. Besides, who else to talk to about Sakura and Syaoran except him? He was the only one who could appreciate her affection for those two. In the process, they really got to know each other better and had become good friends. At the time, she had been feeling a little bit lonely as Sakura had been devoting most of her time to calling Syaoran and her Oniichan. She felt a little guilty over the fact that she might have been using Eriol to fill the gap, but he proved so willing to take their acquaintance further that she soon forgot about it. And he had come to her birthday! She had been so happy he had made it, that for the first time her powers of observation failed her. She would have noticed the sorrow in his eyes earlier.  
  
When Nakuru called her, she hadn't hesitated at all. She never could turn down a friend in need. And she was shocked at the state he was in, and mad at the fact that he could change so much over two days. She had been tempted to have Rei and Akiko hunt down Mizuki-sensei - she was that much concerned over him. But then, that morning at the garden, he had opened up to her. And she had held his face in her hands and looked up into those beautiful, sorrowful eyes and told him he was only human.  
  
Tomoyo never looked at boys the same way she looked at Sakura-chan. At best they were a funny nuisance, like Yamazaki-kun. But when she became friends with Syaoran, she could see his heart. Beneath the gruff exterior was a fierce, loyal and loving young man, and she did not wish Sakura for anybody else.  
  
Now, when she looked at Eriol-san, she could see an attractive young man, who was gentle and kind, naughty and mischievous, funny and sweet. When she looked at him, all she could think of was that he shouldn't be lonely for too long. Because underneath all the smiles, he needed somebody who would make him feel he was complete. That he didn't need to hide under an alter ego. A somebody who would love him for himself, not because of what he had been in a past life. And that was what she wanted for him. Then she'd be happy.  
  
A nagging thought that this was somehow familiar crossed her mind, but she casually dismissed it and concentrated once more on filming Eriol-san, who was now cradling a saccharine-high Suppi.  
  
~o~  
  
They were walking along the cobblestone walkway, watching street artists perform. Eriol had been accomodating, and with droll humor told her about certain historical landmarks and their colorful history. He was already deep into Big Ben's history at that particular moment.  
  
"...the bell for the great clock weighed 16 tons and had to be dragged by 16 beribboned horses to the tower. Then Parliament had a debate on what to name the bloody thing. After a long oration by a Sir Benjamin, somebody shouted out, 'Why not call him Big Ben and have done with it? It was probably so funny that the name stuck...."   
  
He glanced over at Tomoyo, who was holding the camera in one hand and trying to cover her giggling with the other.   
  
"And so that, my dear Tomoyo-san, is the story behind the name of that big old clock..."  
  
Well, so much for giving a history lesson, he thought wryly. He wasn't even lying, but Tomoyo probably didn't believe him. What a way to name a clock. He grinned. He was glad she was having fun, anyway.  
  
While they were walking, he took her free hand and held it. He was getting used to holding her hand, he mused.  
  
"I'm glad," Tomoyo smiled at him, squeezing his hand in response.  
  
*Huh? Did I say that out loud? * Before he could say something in reply, a voice suddenly called out.  
  
"I say, Hiiragizawa, that you, mate?"  
  
At that strange English voice cutting through their conversation, Tomoyo glanced to her right, where a tall and fair-haired young man strode easily through the crowd towards them. She drew back as that young man clapped a hand on Eriol's shoulder.  
  
"Hey, Eriol!" The man then spoke in rapid fire unintelligible English that Tomoyo could not catch up, but she heard him mention something about a party.  
  
"And you have to be there!" he gesticulated. He happened to glance at Tomoyo, then he did a double take. Brown eyes did a rapid assessment, and he liked what he saw.   
  
"Eriol, quick, introduce me to your fair companion or I might get silly in the head!" he grinned charmingly.  
  
Eriol gave him a grin.  
  
"Charles Terrin, meet Tomoyo Daidouji, a good friend of mine from Japan."  
  
"She taken?" Brown Eyes quipped, grinning unrepentantly.  
  
"Charles, you're hopeless." Eriol shook his head. "And before you ask, get Yoko Ono out of your head." He smiled at Tomoyo and mouthed *big Beatles fan* while she giggled and held out her hand.  
  
"How do you do?" she said politely in English. Her hand was immediately taken and kissed, to her surprise. She thought it was an oddity that only Eriol practiced with Sakura, and lately with her.  
  
"Ah, she speaks! Speak again, bright angel!" Tomoyo blushed as she recognized the lines from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. "Miss Tomoyo, is it? Are you here for a visit? How long are you staying?" At the last, Tomoyo uncomfortably felt Eriol's eyes on her.  
  
"I haven't really decided yet." She couldn't really say out loud that she'd leave once she made sure Eriol was alright, now could she?  
  
"Fantastic! You can go to the party with Eriol then - Eriol, make sure she comes, mate!" Charles then looked down at Spinel in Eriol's arms. "What's wrong with the kitty?"  
  
"Nothing major, just a sugar high."  
  
Charles suddenly sees Nakuru coming up, and eyes wide, he made a quick gesture. "I'm running late for an errand, so I'll see you Friday next. We can talk then," he glanced nervously in Nakuru's direction, then running off. But not before giving Tomoyo another appreciative glance.  
  
While Tomoyo gazed at the disappearing figure, Eriol looked at her. Yes, Tomoyo would certainly turn Charles' head. She would always turn heads wherever she went.   
  
She had grown taller since he'd seen her at her birthday party last year, but she was still half a head shorter than he was. Her ebony hair, which was Daidouji Sonomi's pride and joy, was loose on her shoulders. But when she pushed her hair back, she showed a long, graceful neck and fair, white shoulders. And when she smiled, her exquisite eyes would light up and brighten her already pretty face.  
  
Nakuru came running up, only to haul a now awake and thoroughly disgruntled Spinel Sun by the ruff.  
  
"Drat, I missed him! Charles-san always runs away quickly. It's Suppi-chan's fault!" At this she glared at Spinel, who looked ready to roast her with his laser breath.  
  
"You should have made kawaii eyes at him, Suppi-chan!"  
  
"Just seeing you coming near made him decide to make tracks, moron."  
  
Tomoyo just laughed.  
  
@@@@@  
  
They were browsing through the shops as Tomoyo wanted to buy some souvenirs for Sakura and their friends. As usual, Eriol was already laden with Nakuru's purchases - although he firmly vetoed another trip to the toy store. While they were walking, Tomoyo had been taking videos of him, to his chagrin.  
  
"You're not going to show the videos to Li Xiao Lang, are you, Tomoyo-san?" he asked somewhat plaintively, while Tomoyo grinned.  
  
"Only if you're good, Eriol-san," her eyebrow waggled behind the camera. Tomoyo suddenly spied something in a store window.  
  
"Speaking of Syaoran..." She led the way into the store and pointed at something in the display window.  
  
"How much is that please?" she asked the store person. After a few minutes of goodnatured haggling, the saleslady gift-wrapped her purchase and wished them a good day.  
  
Tomoyo was still looking down at the small box in her hand, lost in thought. She had even forgotten to point the camera at Eriol, to his relief.  
  
"Is that for Syaoran, Tomoyo-san?" he asked quietly.  
  
"Hai. A thank you gift." Her voice was small and Eriol thought he saw tears in her eyes. After a while, she looked up at his concerned face. "It's alright, Eriol-san. He deserves her, and she loves him. I'm happy."  
  
"But you're lonely."  
  
"Yes, sometimes. But talking to Meiling and Nakuru make me forget. And your letters helped, Eriol-san..." Beautiful tear-bright eyes looked at him. "I came here so I could return the favor. I hope you're still not mad at Nakuru for calling me over."  
  
"Of course not," he replied, then brushed his hair roughly with his hand. He was doing that more and more, Tomoyo noted. He was still a quiet person who kept his own counsel, but lately he was also filled with nervous energy, and a certain restlessness that you wouldn't associate with the old Eriol. And he kept brushing back his hair unconsciously that lately it often stood on end. What was strange was that it was Tomoyo who sometimes wanted to muss up his hair when he was looking much too neat. Strange.  
  
Eriol took one look at her tear-bright eyes and decided to lighten things up. "Gods, we're being absolutely pathetic! We should be bright and cheerful while the good weather holds, don't you think so, Nakuru?"  
  
The ever-bubbly Nakuru could only shout her agreement, while clutching Tomoyo's arm.  
  
"Eriol-sama is always right!"  
  
And Tomoyo thought, *Yes. A bright and cheerful Eriol-san would be nice*  
  
And for the rest of the day, he was.  
  
@@@@@  
  
When they got back home, Ruby Moon had gone out to patrol the surrounding area, while Tomoyo went straight to bed. But Eriol couldn't sleep. It had been a long day, and he had been driving and carrying parcels all day and he was tired, but he couldn't seem to close his eyes. Sighing, he got out of bed and put on a dressing gown.  
  
He went down to the library where he found Spinel stirring milk into two cups of tea. Spinel handed one cup to Eriol, who accepted it gratefully.  
  
"Thank you, Spinel." He reclined in his favorite chair. "I can't seem to sleep even though I'm so tired. It was a wonderful day wasn't it, Spinel?"  
  
Surprisingly the past three days had been wonderful. He had fully expected to mope, but here he was, gadding about London with his motley crew of guardians, Tomoyo included. And he had laughed and hollered with the rest of them. That was what was so strange. He felt normal. Getting over a breakup wasn't supposed to be this easy, he mused as he sipped his tea. Had he been paying more attention, he would have seen an unholy gleam flash through Spinel's eyes before it was replaced by a mild expression.   
  
"I am glad you're feeling better, Master. And more like your true self..." Eriol quickly looked up at the hovering guardian, whose eyes were quietly assessing.  
  
"Yes." Eriol sighed. "A lot of things has happened in such a short time." He sat back in his chair and contemplated the cup in his hands. "  
  
"Were these changes in me really a bad thing, Spinel? So bad that Kaho had to go?" Even saying her name no longer gave him a pang. Had it only been a week?  
  
Spinel ignored the question and decided to scold Eriol instead. "You shouldn't brood overmuch. It really doesn't suit you. Clow Reed maybe, but then again, you aren't him. Are you?"  
  
"No, I suppose not. Not anymore." He had already told Spinel about his dream about Clow, and Spinel had only given him a smug I-told-you-so look before returning to the book he was reading.   
  
The door suddenly opened and in walked Tomoyo, who was surprised to see Eriol still awake. She looked from one to the other.  
  
"Oh, my. Am I interrupting anything?"  
  
"Ah, no, Mistress Tomoyo. Here, have some of this tea." Spinel quickly offered Tomoyo the other teacup.   
  
Eriol had a sneaking suspicion that Spinel Sun knew Tomoyo would come down and join them in the library, but he couldn't be sure. He couldn't for the life of him remember whether Clow Reed had given the cat the gift of premonition.  
  
"Arigatou, Spinel-san," Tomoyo replied gratefully.  
  
Because she was thinking about something else, Tomoyo missed Spinel's address, but Eriol didn't. He gave Spinel a quick look --- Spinel settled himself on the armchair near Tomoyo's elbow before deigning to return his master's look with a bland one.  
  
"I couldn't really sleep, I'm still too excited." Tomoyo sat down on the plush-covered sofa in front of the fireplace and drank the tea. "You too, Eriol-san?"  
  
"Ah." Not to be outdone by a cat, Eriol nonchalantly got up from his chair and walked across the room to seat himself on the sofa beside Tomoyo.   
  
"So, what do you think of Charles?" *Did I just blurt that out?* Nonetheless, he held his breath as he waited for Tomoyo's reply.  
  
Giggle. "Your friend seems cheery. He reminds me of Nakuru for some reason. Very charming. Are all the English like that?"  
  
*Charming? She thinks Charles is charming?!?"* Confused at the inner turmoil he felt at her reply, he took another sip of his tea to calm himself before addressing her.  
  
"Charming? Oh, you mean the English? Of course we are. My friends say I'm the most English of the lot."  
  
"Fishing for compliments, Eriol-san?" Tomoyo barely suppressed a giggle at his earnest expression. "Oh, all right then. You are the most English of them all." Another giggle.  
  
She stretched and yawned.   
  
"You haven't met a lot, Miss Tomoyo," he said dryly, slightly mollified. At seeing her yawn he added, "I must be poor company. Am I boring you, Tomoyo-san?"  
  
"Oh no, not at all!" She hastily reassured him. "I just feel relaxed. The tea is very delicious. I don't think I've tried this blend before."  
  
"Thank you. I blend it myself. You see, I have it imported from Sri Lanka and..." He stopped when he felt Tomoyo's head resting on his shoulder, her hair covering half her face. His hand instinctively moved to tuck the tendrils behind her ear, his fingers deliberately brushing her cheek. *Soft,* he marveled. He caught the scent of magnolias as he leaned his head towards her hair.  
  
He was jerked into reality a few minutes later when he became conscious of Spinel's presence. *Bloody hell. I forgot about him.* He looked up from his silent scrutiny of Tomoyo's face and met Spinel's amused glance. His eyes narrowed.  
  
"What was in the tea, Spinel?" He said suspiciously.  
  
"What do you mean, Master?" An eyebrow lifted.   
  
"Did you put something in the tea?"   
  
"Of course not. Do you think I would do such a thing?" Came the calm reply.  
  
Silence.   
  
No response from Eriol was evidently forthcoming.  
  
~o~  
  
Spinel, Eriol's Sun Guardian smirked as he watched the sleeping figures in front of him.  
  
Tomoyo snuggled contentedly against Eriol. A sigh escaped Eriol's lips and formed into a small smile. Spinel flew away but soon returned with a blanket to cover both of them.  
  
"Sweet dreams, Master." He then walked away and headed for the door, but not before turning his head back.  
  
"You too, Mistress."  
  
@@@@@  
  
Authors' drivel:   
  
Our apologies for this coming out so late. Major, major writers' block. You don't know how many times we almost gave up! We weren't happy with what we had initially written, so we had to do a major rewrite. This after two weeks of strangling each other to try to come up with something that felt right. Whew! Hope you like this one, guys. Spinel gets his revenge, hahaha!  
  
Thank you for the reviews! 


	7. My Dream Woke Up and Bit Me

Farsighted  
  
By SibylSofiana  
  
Chapter Seven  
  
My Dream Woke Up and Bit Me  
  
~o~o~o~o~  
  
Tomoyo woke up first. She didn't open her eyes immediately and just savored the feeling of warmth. London had been chilly the past few mornings, and the heat from the fireplace did a lot to dispel the cold in her room. She suddenly felt like stretching but found she couldn't. Something heavy was across her chest...   
  
Her eyes snapped open, and she was stunned to see Eriol's sleeping face just inches from hers. She couldn't remember what happened last night - what was she doing in the library, sleeping with Eriol on the sofa?!?  
  
Eriol's face was at the side of her neck, probably breathing in her hair. Not only was his arm around her, his left leg was on top of hers beneath the blanket. Hoeee!  
  
The signs of another blush stained Tomoyo's cheek - Now she was acting like Sakura-chan. Good thing Eriol-san was still asleep -- what if her mother saw her in this predicament?   
  
At the thought of her mother, Tomoyo saw the humor in the situation, but quickly drew in her giggles to avoid waking Eriol up. Oh this was precious! *I believe Mother would be in shock, but not for long... too bad the videocam is in my room. *   
  
The arm Eriol had around her waist clung to her possessively. *Funny, I wouldn't have pegged Eriol as a hugger, * Tomoyo thought amusedly. Now she wouldn't be able to move away without waking him up.   
  
*Not that I'm in a hurry to...* came a stray thought. Which Tomoyo quickly ignored. Instead, she concentrated on her current predicament.   
  
*How did I end up here, anyway? I obviously fell asleep but how did I - more importantly, how do I get out of here? * A few minutes of self-debate made her decide to wait.   
  
*Sooner or later, Eriol will move then I can get out from under him without waking him up,* she resolved, keeping her eyes open for opportunity.   
  
A few minutes later, her eyelids fluttered, *must keep watch...*   
  
And closed.  
  
  
  
~o~  
  
A firm non-believer of self-denial (except in Sakura's case), Tomoyo sleepily tried to gather her thoughts as she yawned and snuggled closer to Eriol.   
  
Yes, I find Eriol attractive. Waking up to him hugging me like I'm his favorite plushie is not exactly repulsive. Pleasant, in fact. Fine- it feels nice. Very nice.   
  
@@@@@  
  
Eriol knew the moment he regained semi-consciousness that Spinel Sun had put a sleeping draught in his tea. The bloody guardian probably meant well, since he had been tired and couldn't sleep. It was that or Spinel probably just wanted payback for the sugar high Eriol had given him yesterday. Eriol shuddered as he remembered Spinel's payback for Nakuru's pranks on other days. Thank God Spinel only thought to drug him... the funny thing was, he was still probably dreaming. He couldn't possibly be smelling Tomoyo's fragrant hair, or her magnolia-scented skin...  
  
One disadvantage of being a teenager, despite being a sorcerer, was dealing with his hormones. Except for exchanging a few kisses and heady embraces with Kaho, he had always held back. The annoying thing was, he couldn't even draw on Clow Reed's memories of adolescence any more.  
  
And now he was fantasizing about Tomoyo, of all people! But he had always liked how she smelled. And there was nothing wrong with dreaming, right?  
  
So he held his pillow tight and breathed in the dream-scent of magnolias, and he imagined the dream-Tomoyo snuggling closer and sighing.  
  
@@@@@  
  
"More tea, Eriol-sama?"  
  
Eriol knew he would never live it down. Nakuru had been "tea"sing him mercilessly while Spinel gave him that unrepentant, smug grin of his. They always laughed at him behind his back, even Tomoyo, while his ears would turn red at the memory. Definitely not funny. He tried to putting it out of his mind, even as he suspiciously sniffed at every cup of tea his would-be guardians kept offering him.  
  
~o~  
  
It had been raining for the past few days and they had nothing to do except watch the telly, read books, talk and play chess. Turned out that Nakuru knew how to play the violin, so Nakuru would play while Tomoyo sang. Eriol would start towards the piano, but then move away without playing. Nobody said anything, and he'd just sit back beside Tomoyo as she sang.   
  
But Tomoyo was self-conscious -- which was a first -- and she would often falter at certain lines. She was probably as embarrassed as he was, and he wasn't helping any by sitting so close by her. But he had gotten so used to her being always beside him. It was comforting to him. So despite the amusement of his guardians, he stubbornly tried to put it out of his mind and act normally. And it worked after a while.  
  
It was on one of these rainy days that Eriol suddenly remembered Charles' invitation.  
  
"Bloody hell! Oops, pardon me Spinel," Eriol apologized as Spinel, Nakuru and Tomoyo looked up, surprised. "It's just that I forgot that Charles' dinner party is two days from now."  
  
"Eriol-sama! How come you didn't tell me!" Nakuru wailed. "I don't have anything to wear!"  
  
"I did just tell you, Nakuru. And you have lots of clothes. We shopped last week," he reminded her.  
  
"But we didn't get anything for a dance. Charles-san's parties always have dances!" Nakuru wailed again. But before Eriol could reply, Tomoyo volunteered her services. "I can make you something, Nakuru-chan. I always make Sakura-chan's party dresses. "  
  
Oh," She suddenly remembered. "I didn't bring any cloth with me, so I guess we'd still have to buy some."  
  
"You're so good to me, Tomoyo-channnnn!" shrieked Nakuru, who suddenly grabbed Tomoyo and whirled her around the room. "ARIGATOU! If you make my dress, Charles-san will surely dance with me now!" With Spinel muttering, "Baka, were you even invited?" under his breath, Nakuru ignored him and said to Tomoyo, "We still have lots of cloth in the attic - we had a school drama before, and Eriol-sama made me a costume!"  
  
@@@@@  
  
So, the rest of the day and the next was spent in a frenzy making Nakuru's and Tomoyo's dresses in the attic. They had several bolts of cloth to choose from, and once Tomoyo explained what she had in mind, they set out to work. Nakuru took care of cutting the patterns, Tomoyo went all-out on the sewing machine while Eriol helped in the hemming and the details. He was good at it, and they made good time.  
  
In-between the sewing sessions, Eriol and Tomoyo would talk about Tomoeda, Daidouji Sonomi, their friends, likes and dislikes, plans for the future.   
  
"I haven't really thought of University yet - so I haven't decided what to take up. Besides, there's still cram school to attend for the exams." Tomoyo chewed at her lip.  
  
"I'm sure you'll do fine, Tomoyo-san." Eriol assured her, giving her a smile that would set any girl's heart to flutter. "By the way, my cute descendant is going to take up an engineering course in the university."  
  
"Yes, Sakura told me about it. He's going to the same university as Touya-kun and Tsukishiro-kun." She frowned again. "We're growing up so fast, Eriol-san."  
  
"Time doesn't stand still, Tomoyo-san. We can't be sixth graders forever."  
  
"No. I suppose not."  
  
@@@@@  
  
Sewing finally done by Thursday afternoon, they all crowded down the staircase to partake of the light snack provided by Spinel. Eriol had pulled her hand to the crook of his arm and escorted her down. Tomoyo had been surprisingly quiet and thoughtful all throughout the meal, which Eriol noticed.  
  
Tomoyo soon excused herself.   
  
"Ah, Eriol-san. Is it okay if I make a phone call to my mother?"  
  
  
  
~o~  
  
Eriol's eyes followed Tomoyo's retreating figure as she left the kitchen to make a phone call in the library. He ignored his guardians' knowing smirks as he unconsciously stood up to follow her. But before he could trail after her towards the library, he stopped in the living room. He sat on the piano bench and closed his eyes, his face turning red at the subject of his thoughts. He had been thinking about it again. That fateful morning he woke up with Tomoyo in his arms...  
  
*FLASHBACK*  
  
He had been content to stay in his dream - taking in the heady scent of Tomoyo as he nuzzled his face against her hair and neck - so soft and welcoming. He knew he was waking up as he began to drift in and out of consciousness but he was reluctant to end his dream. He clutched at his pillow, dreaming of Tomoyo. * I never had a softer pillow. When did Nakuru start using magnolia scents on my sheets?*  
  
He was roughly jerked awake when he heard a crash. He half-sat up and his eyes opened to see Nakuru at the doorway, a broken tea set and freshly baked scones at her feet. Her mouth hung open, looking at the scene in front of her. Spinel trailed behind her, a self-satisfied smirk on his face.  
  
Seeing that look brought back memories of last night on the surface of his thoughts. *Spinel! * He thought in alarm. His mouth suddenly gone dry, he mentally crossed his fingers as he slowly turned his head towards where he made his bed last night.  
  
Disbelief first settled as he took in the sight before him. *I thought it was a dream. *   
  
In front of him was Tomoyo's face framed by waves of the softest, silky, black hair his hands itched to touch. Her long dark eyelashes contrasted against her pale features-as did her lips, red against the cold of London morn.  
  
Eriol's breath caught at his throat as he looked down on their position. Or, to be more exact, his position. Even as he was startled out of his sleep, his arm had refused to let go of its possessive hold on Tomoyo's waist.   
  
*Maybe it's an alien arm,* he mused. *Yamazaki would love that one.* He doubted it, though. It felt strange, holding Tomoyo like that, but it somehow felt right. Like pieces of a puzzle, fitting together.   
  
His moment of reflection ended as he studied their positions further. Panic settled in as he felt his leg beneath the blanket, flung across her own legs and tangling with them. He struggled to recall the name of all the gods he knew and hastily invoked them.  
  
*I promise I'll be good. I'll never trick Spinel again. Just don't let her wake up. Please..don't let her wake up.*   
  
Either the gods were asleep, or he prayed to the wrong ones.  
  
Tomoyo's eyelids fluttered, then opened to violet eyes zeroing in on his own blue, flustered ones.  
  
*I am so dead.*   
  
*END FLASHBACK*  
  
@@@@@  
  
After her disturbing phone call, Tomoyo soon made up her mind on a course of action. With her decision in mind, she set about finding Eriol and informing him of it. She found him in the living room, playing the piano. She stood transfixed by the door as rich, melodious notes reached her ears . She barely noticed Nakuru and Spinel, who looked up as she entered.   
  
Her gaze was set on Eriol, the way the light glinted off his dark hair, the way his fingers ran over the piano keys ever so gracefully, so instinctively, giving expression to his thoughts and feelings. His eyes were closed as if he were in a world of his own creation - presenting a calm, soothing visage.  
  
Tomoyo could only look and listen in awe.  
  
* I think this is the first time I've heard Eriol play since I got here. I've never seen him like this before-so at peace with himself. Kami help me, his music is enough to entrance me-but I musn't be. I can't... *  
  
Tomoyo snapped out of her thoughts as something more disturbing penetrated her awareness.  
  
The eyes that were closed before now opened to reveal intense, blue eyes.  
  
Staring back at her.   
  
@@@@@  
  
He had been so intent on his thoughts that he only just realized that he was playing the piano. It had been a long time since he had last played it. The piano was his refuge, next to his garden.   
  
*I've finally put my past to rest. I'm ready for what the future holds for me.*  
  
He looked up to see Tomoyo at the doorway, nodding her head as if she were listening to his inner thoughts. All he could do was stare. And then incredible violet eyes looked back at him, seeking something from him. And he wanted to give it, if only he knew what lay behind those beautiful eyes.  
  
@@@@@  
  
Nakuru looked at her watch then switched back to her master and Tomoyo. *They've been staring at each other for five minutes and fifteen seconds and counting. How come I didn't notice before?* Nakuru's eyes were shining. *I've restrained myself long enough. I can't take this anymore! They're so.. so....*   
  
Spinel knew danger when he saw it. He even sensed it emanate in waves just beside him as he looked at Nakuru in horror. He made a move to escape it, but Nakuru was faster. She grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and proceeded to smother him in her chest.   
  
"Kawaii!" Nakuru's squeal bounced off the walls, startling the teenagers.   
  
  
  
@@@@@  
  
Once the ensuing tumult died down and both guardians headed out toward the kitchen, Tomoyo finally forced out the words she knew she had to say.  
  
"Eriol-san...I've decided to go home the day after tomorrow."  
  
Eriol felt his state of tranquillity come crashing down at her words.  
  
@@@@@  
  
*She's leaving tomorrow. *  
  
That practically summed up the contents of Eriol's thoughts as he paced the length of his foyer. Nakuru had already come down, looking radiant and unmistakably girlish in the dress Tomoyo made for her. Nakuru went with Spinel to do a quick patrol before they left for the party. That left him to wait for Tomoyo.  
  
Eriol's emotions left him confused. He would really miss Tomoyo. She was thoughtful and sensitive, sewing all day to make Nakuru happy. She was fiercely loyal and protective, keeping Spinel safe from his and Nakuru's pranks whenever she was around that it earned her a pedestal in Spinel's eyes. She had been there when he needed help the most. She was caring and kind, concerned for him but never prying. He didn't want her to go.  
  
*It's not like I'd never see her again.* Eriol argued to himself. *I can still write her letters, can't I?* But he felt curiously empty inside as he thought about it.  
  
At the back of his mind came the nagging feeling that this scene should somehow be familiar, but it eluded him. He filed it away for further reflection later when he heard a sound above him.  
  
He glanced up to see Tomoyo, elegantly clad in a simple white sleeveless cocktail dress that reached her knees.   
  
*Let my mates die in envy.* Eriol uncharitably thought as he continued to gaze at her. He noticed a blush creep up Tomoyo's cheeks as she reached his side.  
  
"Thanks... I think."   
  
Eriol's eyes widened as he realized he spoke out loud again. *Times like these I wish I still were the suave Clow Reed. What is wrong with me? Bloody tongue! I should just cut it out and end my misery.*  
  
  
  
"I would be sad if you did that, Eriol." Tomoyo quietly said.  
  
"Aargh... Did I say that out loud again?" Eriol exasperatedly sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair.  
  
Tomoyo's eyes twinkled as she looked up at him. "No, you didn't. But I know you well enough to guess what you're thinking. Shall we?"  
  
*=*=*=  
  
Authors Whining At Their Fate  
  
Do you guys know how many sleepless nights this chapter entailed?!? Aaargh! We're posting it NOW!!!  
  
Sofiana: Oh, sheesh...get me to bed! (Drops dead and snores)  
  
Sibyl: (Pokes Sofiana) I wish Tomoyo would call Spinel Suppi-chan. Kawaii Suppi-chan! Sofiana? Sofiana?...Ah, well. Gnyt folks. Couple more chapters to go.  
  
Sofiana: (raises head blearily) If we last that long! Mmmzzzzz.......  
  
We would like to thank our reviewers: Shima and Tempis, StarFall4790, flitterbug, not applicable, BishounenzAngel, June6, crystal wolf1, KawaiinessPnay, Dana Daidouji, misery-chick4, and Mornings Light.  
  
Hope you liked this one too. Thank you!!! 


	8. Tell Me What The Future Holds

Farsighted  
  
By SibylSofiana  
  
Chapter Eight  
  
Tell Me What The Future Holds  
  
~o~o~o~o~o~  
  
Tomoyo couldn't help herself. Since she'd arrived in London, she felt she was living outside her skin for the first time, finally finding out that her world was larger than Sakura-chan. She had lived for Sakura-chan.   
  
Now she was living for herself. It had started gradually. First, the letters, then the phone calls. And now he had done it by just talking to her and by listening. The nights they sat in the library just talking made her realize that if she wanted something from life, she should not just sit back and wait for crumbs...from her mother, from Sakura...   
  
She felt exhilarated at the flash of independence. This was the first time she'd been away from home for so long, and it had been a bit awkward and difficult in the beginning.   
  
But she was here because Eriol had needed HER.   
  
In the end, she had needed HIM just as much as he needed her -- to finally open her eyes, to become real, to not just be a shadow of somebody else. That was all that mattered. She tried to push away other feelings that tried to intrude on her consciousness. *No, no. Musn't think...*  
  
As she was sewing her dress for Terrin-san's party, she occasionally gazed at Eriol's bent head. Some feelings could not help but escape her less-vigilant-than-usual restraint.   
  
*How I wish I could make him truly happy!*  
  
~o~o~o~o~  
  
She soon found herself making excuses to use the phone in the library. She could feel Eriol's gaze following her out of the kitchen, but she pretended not to notice. She had felt the need to talk to someone, and just grabbed the excuse of needing to talk to her Okaa-san.  
  
But who she really wanted to talk to was Sakura.  
  
@@@@@  
  
Meanwhile, in Hong Kong.  
  
Kinomoto Sakura was busy giving her sternest lecture to two of her favorite men in the world.  
  
Li Syaoran groaned, massaging his head. "Sakura, that hurt!"   
  
"Hey, Gaki, speak for yourself." Nevertheless, Touya winced as he gingerly felt the side of his head where Sakura had brained him with her Star Staff. "Was that really necessary, Kaijuu?' he asked his sister, who stood glaring at them, arms crossed cradling the staff.   
  
"In your case, yes! You've been here together - what - three years, and you still can't get along?!?" Sakura huffed. "And you!" pointing her staff at Syaoran, who immediately froze. "I thought better of you!"  
  
After a few more scathing remarks, Sakura finally ran out of wind. With a disgusted sniff, she turned on her heel. Men! Sakura grumbled as she marched out of the courtyard and headed for the house to cool off.   
  
Her third favorite guy (exempt from her ire on ANY day) met her at the door.  
  
"You have a call in the library, Sakura-chan. It's Tomoyo-san, calling from England."  
  
She gave her friend a quick smile. "Arigatou, Yukito-san."   
  
Yukito whispered something to her, and Sakura left, grinning. She was still thinking about what Yukito said when she answered the phone.  
  
"Moshi-moshi. Tomoyo-chan?"  
  
"Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo's voice sounded so far away, and Sakura suddenly missed her friend.  
  
"I really miss you, Tomoyo-chan! Wish you were here - sometimes Syaoran and Oniichan can be so annoying! Even Kero-chan! Good thing Meiling is here to keep me company or I'll go crazy with all these boys!" Sakura sounded so vexed that Tomoyo could only giggle at the other end of the line. "So how's Nakuru and Spinel-san?" Sakura soon asked.  
  
"Oh, they're both fine. They've been so nice to me and they're fun to be around. Since I can't shoot your video, I've been busy shooting them. I'll show you the tape once you get back. They're better than Kero-chan and Yue-san."  
  
"Don't let Kero-chan hear you!" Sakura laughed. "He'll be so jealous. How about Eriol-kun?" Silence at the other end of the line. "Tomoyo? Are you there?"  
  
"Hai." Sakura could barely hear her reply. "H-he's feeling better now."  
  
"I'm glad. I really got worried when you called last week, but I'm glad you're there to help him out. Syaoran told me you'd take care of things, and he was right, as usual. He said Eriol-kun wouldn't have wanted all of us to worry. So when are you coming home?" she asked.  
  
"I don't know yet. Sakura-chan... " Tomoyo's voice was hesitant. "E-Eriol and Mizuki-sensei have broken up..."   
  
"I thought as much." With that statement, she could almost see Tomoyo's incredulous face at the other end.  
  
"You knew?"  
  
Sakura twirled the phone cord with a finger. "Not really. I was having these dreams, but I couldn't really understand them. It just somehow seemed right that you're there. I'm still not good at the interpretation thing. But I didn't want to ask Kero-chan about it." She paused. "Is Eriol-kun okay?"  
  
"Yes, I think he's doing fine..."   
  
Sakura almost felt pity for her friend. Her voice sounded lost and confused, and Sakura couldn't blame her.   
  
"How about you, Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura asked gently.  
  
"W-what do you mean, Sakura-chan?"  
  
She was still gentle but minced no words. "You like Eriol-kun, don't you?"   
  
"Of c-course I do. He's our friend." A nervous laugh.  
  
Sakura sighed. "We've been friends for years, Tomoyo-chan. I may have been dense at times, but never about you..." She could almost hear Tomoyo's dismay.  
  
"You knew...?"   
  
"Well, it took me a while, and I didn't want to hurt your feelings. I'm sorry I couldn't give back what you needed, Tomoyo-chan." Silence. "I've always felt guilty about that..."  
  
"Don't be, Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo's voice surprisingly strong and adamant. "Syaoran truly loves and deserves you and he's my friend as well! I was happy because you were happy!"  
  
"And your happiness is also my happiness, Tomoyo-chan. But I just want you to be happy for yourself. Don't be afraid to seek your own happiness, Tomoyo-chan..."  
  
"B-but I don't like Eriol that way, Sakura-chan..." But Sakura knew Tomoyo was faltering. Tomoyo hadn't even noticed that she had used Eriol's first name, but Sakura did. Sakura knew Tomoyo had still called him Hiiragizawa-san before now, and her ease and familiarity with the use of his first name was quite obvious. *Oh, Tomoyo-chan!*  
  
She tried to reassure her friend. "I understand what you're feeling, Tomoyo-chan. Eriol-kun might not be ready for another relationship, but he does need you right now. Remember that day by the moon pool?"  
  
"Yes, but you wouldn't tell me my future."  
  
"When the people I love are concerned, my fortune-telling is not as clear..." She paused. "I couldn't see your future exactly. But the fact that you're there, with Eriol-kun... I know that it's what's supposed to happen. Don't worry, Tomoyo. Everything will turn out all right..."  
  
Sakura could only hold the Hope Card close to her chest and truly hope for the best.  
  
@@@@@  
  
When Tomoyo put down the phone a while later, she was trembling. Sakura-chan had told her to seek her own happiness... but she was afraid. It was too soon. Too soon for Eriol. Too soon for her.   
  
She soon calmed down and made her decision.  
  
Never mind what Sakura-chan said. She was getting far too attached to Eriol.  
  
It was time she thought about going home.  
  
@@@@@  
  
"Eriol, mate! I almost thought you wouldn't make it!" A slight wince. "Ah, hello, Miss Nakuru," as Charles' hand was pumped vigorously. "So glad you could make it..." a quick glare at Eriol's way, who greeted him a happy birthday (gasps from the rest of the party --"Eriol-san, you didn't tell me it was Terrin-san's birthday!" and "Eriol-sama, you're so MEAN!), Charles immediately focusing on the girl behind Eriol.   
  
"Ye Gods! Your presence overwhelms me, Miss Tomoyo!" Charles made an exaggerated bow, and kissed Tomoyo's hand with flourish, to which Tomoyo responded with a shy smile.  
  
Charles was harmless, Eriol knew, but he still couldn't help it.  
  
"She's with me, Charles," he said firmly before pulling a bemused Tomoyo to his side.  
  
"Ah, certainly, certainly." Charles gave him a knowing look. *First Spinel and Nakuru. Now it's Charles. They keep giving me that look. Do they know something I don't?* Also, there was something about Charles... buy he couldn't quite put a finger on it. Before Eriol could come up with a suitable retort, Charles returned his attention back to Tomoyo.   
  
"Care to save the first dance for me, Miss Tomoyo... as your charming host and birthday boy?" he smiled irresistibly, and Tomoyo smilingly assented. "Ah, of course, a dance with you Miss Nakuru..." he said, before he turned to greet the other guests coming in.  
  
"Charles loves parties, although I think he hates celebrating his own birthday. He doesn't even need an excuse, he just gathers us together for one reason or another." Eriol explained on the way to the reception area, only pausing to hand Nakuru's and Tomoyo's wraps to a waiting servant. "Most of my schoolmates will be here with their dates."  
  
"Ah, so this is a date then, Eriol-san?" Tomoyo teased. Eriol only turned to give her a serious look before replying, "In all probability, Tomoyo-san."  
  
After that statement, Tomoyo didn't say a word.  
  
~o~o~o~o~  
  
While Tomoyo was being passed around from one escort to another, Eriol found himself by the balcony adjoining the ballroom, breathing in the fresh air, where he found Spinel Sun keeping watch. He followed the cat's line of sight and found it curious that Spinel would be keeping an eye on Tomoyo.  
  
When he looked at her, he smiled. She was so graceful! With her dark hair and creamy complexion, she stood out against all the pale and cold beauties his mates had brought along. All the other girls towered over her by a good five inches but she seemed more - ethereal. Like she wasn't real. But he knew she was.  
  
"You seem different, Master."  
  
"Hmmm?" He was busy watching her glide along the dance floor.  
  
"You seem happier these days." Spinel quietly observed before saying gravely, "I am only concerned that you get too caught up in these changes that you fail to see what is causing them."  
  
Eriol gave the Sun Guardian his full attention. "The cause? For my happiness?"  
  
"I grew up the past two weeks, Spinel. I am alive, I'm no longer a reincarnation, but a man in my own right. I have learned that I am responsible for my own happiness. That I am human, and I can be weak without being overcome by powerlessness." He paused before continuing, "That I can be truly happy if I wish it."  
  
"What you have said is true enough," Spinel replied then shook his head. "But sometimes, Eriol-sama you think too much. What you have told me is the effect of a certain gentle application - you have missed the cause of your current understanding of yourself and your nature."  
  
"Spinel, you just love being obscure. Aren't these reasons enough? What else is there to see?" Tomoyo came into his line of vision once again, this time whirling with Charles in time to a spirited beat.  
  
"Sometimes, some things are better understood when seen from another perspective." Spinel cryptically replied. He leapt down from the balcony railing before he looked back at Eriol.   
  
"Do not look too far for answers, Master. The simplest one is usually right in front of you," came Spinel's parting advice.  
  
Eriol knew better than to ignore Spinel' s musings. His guardian was usually vague, yes, but Spinel could be perceptive when he wanted to be.   
  
*What was Spinel talking about? * Resolved to give Tomoyo only good memories of her summer in London, he went back in and strode purposefully towards her to claim a dance.   
  
~o~o~o~o~  
  
"So, what's between you and Eriol, dear sweet Tomoyo?" As she lifted her face in surprise, Charles chuckled. "You have been paying no attention to me whatsoever, and you are lost in your deep, bittersweet thoughts."  
  
Tomoyo immediately felt regret. "I am sorry for being rude, Terrin-san..." she began, but he grinned and brushed off her apologies.  
  
"Charles. And it's obvious you like him. And Eriol is a trifle too possessive of you. See, now he's coming this way... oops, don't move away, pet. What seems to be the matter?"  
  
His voice was so reassuring that Tomoyo was compelled to answer. "Y-yes, I have grown to like him. But, it's just too soon... and I'm going home tomorrow."  
  
"Running away?" He was guiding her away from Eriol, and Tomoyo didn't mind.  
  
"No. Yes. I don't know." Charles only smiled.  
  
"Ah, a clear mind is all you need. Maybe the time away will do the trick. Or with just a little bit of help..." a quick grin, then Charles sobered.   
  
"Running away will not solve anything, but TAKING a little bit of time to get to where you'll eventually end up isn't such a bad idea either. And believe me," he told her confidingly. "I have a feeling for things. It's going to be all right in the end with you and Eriol. Okay?"  
  
He looked like an elderly uncle at that point that Tomoyo could only giggle and nod, her tension falling away. "Now why don't you give your elderly Uncle a kiss for his good advice and sound judgment?" his eyes twinkling, guessing her thoughts, and she laughed.  
  
"All right, Uncle Charles." At that moment, Tomoyo felt quite bold, and she seized the lapels of his jacket and gave him a quick kiss, but intentionally missed his mouth. She did not hear the quick intake of breath behind her.  
  
"Ah, Eriol. Come to claim her?" Charles spoke to Eriol, who had suddenly come up behind her.  
  
"Yes." It sounded like a declaration that Tomoyo shivered. Eriol gave a small bow. "May I have this dance, Tomoyo-san?"  
  
~o~o~o~o~  
  
Neither noticed that Charles was muttering something under his breath as he watched them move away. Eriol even failed to see the quick flare of Charles' aura as he turned away to lead Tomoyo to the dance floor.  
  
But Nakuru/Ruby Moon did. Before she could do anything drastic, Charles had suddenly turned to her and gave her a quick grin.  
  
"You owe me a dance, butterfly girl."   
  
Speechless and helpless to do anything in her false form, Nakuru allowed Charles to lead her slightly away from the now dancing pair. She glanced frantically at Spinel, who was now standing guard by the draperies.  
  
Spinel only shook his head.  
  
*At ease, Ruby Moon. He means well.*  
  
~o~o~o~o~  
  
"Your classmates are so KAWAII, master!!! Why couldn't I go to your school?" Nakuru pouted behind the wheel. She had already forgotten about the incident earlier.  
  
Spinel snorted. "Why do you think they study there?"   
  
"Hhmph. An all-boys school is soooo boring without girls."  
  
"Duh. That's why it's called an all-boys school, moron." Spinel retorted. The two guardians started to bicker.  
  
With the racket the two were making, nobody noticed that both Eriol and Tomoyo were quiet on the way home. Neither seemed in the mood to talk.   
  
Despite her serene expression, Tomoyo's mind was in turmoil. She had made her decision. But why did it make her feel so .....?  
  
*Staying is not an option. I cannot stay....* She looked out of the windows, her mind somewhere else.   
  
Beside her, Eriol was silently making an almost desperate resolution. Suddenly, everything he had been wondering about the past two weeks was made clear. He suddenly had all the answers. He wondered where it came from...   
  
He did know one thing, though. He turned his face and watched Tomoyo looking out the car window, unseeing.  
  
He couldn't let her go.  
  
~o~o~o~o~  
  
He could hear her behind him, her dainty feet making no noise on the lush grass of summer.  
  
"You can't do that, Eriol-san." Her voice was slightly angry. "You can't compel people to come when you call with magic. I thought better of you."   
  
He was standing by the willow tree, hands at his sides. He was still wearing his tuxedo, although he had taken off the jacket. Now he turned to face her, white shirt unbuttoned at the neck, his eyes a deep unfathomable shade of blue. Tomoyo lowered her eyes.  
  
"I need to pack, Eriol-san," she said softly.  
  
"Don't go." He took her face in his hands and raised it so he could see her eyes. "Don't go," he repeated, before bending down and taking her sweet lips with his. Tomoyo lifted her hands toward the hands holding her face, as if to force him to break away his contact.   
  
But she couldn't. She was drowning in his kiss. He was gentle yet insistent, claiming her lips for his own. In light of her newly discovered feelings, she could do no less.  
  
So she kissed him back. When Eriol felt her lips respond, he could hardly hold back a groan, and he wound his hand in her beautiful hair, holding her head, not wanting to let her go. They stood in the moonlight, arms around each other, celebrating their newly discovered feelings.  
  
After a while, Eriol soon pulled back and gazed into her bemused eyes. His thumb gently rubbed against her cheek. "Everything's so clear to me right now, Tomoyo. All this time... you were right under my nose all this time. Spinel was right, the answer was right in front of me."  
  
But Tomoyo was already shaking her head, trying to move away. "No, Eriol. This shouldn't be happening... we aren't thinking straight." But he held her tight.  
  
"I'm thinking straight for the first time in four years!" At his vehement tone, Tomoyo was shocked into silence. "I was holding on to a relationship that wasn't even mine. It was Kaho's dream, and it only fitted perfectly with Clow Reed's plans. But I am not Clow Reed anymore. I am only Eriol Hiiragizawa..."  
  
"Never say "only". You are who you are!" Tomoyo whispered. Then she got back into her main argument. "Eriol, you are only on the rebound... I understand that I'm right under your nose and therefore the first girl to latch your affections on to..."  
  
"Don't say that, Tomoyo! It's a lie!"  
  
"But how can you know for sure, Eriol? I care deeply for you, but everything has been happening so fast that I don't know where I stand with you, or what that means to me. It's too soon, can't you see? I have to go away -"  
  
"No!" Eriol soon lowered his voice. "Tomoyo, stay. I beg you. We'll figure this out. I'll -"  
  
"I can't, Eriol." Tomoyo soon raised tear-bright eyes to his. "Please don't beg me to stay. I need to think. And you need to think... goodbye, Eriol!" With that, she quickly turned away and ran towards the Manor, leaving Eriol behind, staring at her.  
  
Her sayonara sounded so final.  
  
@@@@@  
  
Authors' Notes:  
  
So, tell US what the future holds for our favorite hero and heroine! One more chapter to go folks! Thanks go to Candyland, Bishounenz Angel, Dana Daidouji (glad you loved it, we did too), flitter bug (so we updated. How about you? lol), June6 (well, Tomoyo does have a certain magic of her own), PLum BLoSsOm (Suppi-chan rules!), crystal wolf=P, not applicable (your very short but to-the-point reviews make us happy, strangely enough! SUGOI!), and Aurora Starcrystal (thanks for the pep talk!) for reviewing the "Dream" chapter. Yes, it was so KAWAII!  
  
Curious about Charles? We'll put in a teaser story (by LunaMagic) about him next week. 


	9. Teaser: Well Met by Moonlight

Teaser story about Charles Terrin.  
  
~o~o~o~o  
  
SibylSofiana: Full credits go to LunaMagic for this story. Kawaii! Arigatou for writing this! We are publishing this teaser initially under 'Farsighted'. If you like this story, please review and we will forward it to LunaMagic. (She's our sister, by the way). She will probably continue this under her own name if the results are favorable.   
  
Disclaimer: We do not own any of the CardCaptor Sakura characters. But we DO own Charles Terrin. So bugger off!!!  
  
~o~o~o~o~  
  
Chapter One : The Master of None  
  
Charles Gwyddion Terrin, hereditary druid of the house of McCollough, stood quietly by the fireplace, staring at the dancing flames.   
  
His 17th birthday party had just finished at 2am. After kissing his parents goodnight, he had gone up to his room. He had taken off his jacket and unbuttoned first two buttons on his starched white shirt. Putting his hands inside his pants pockets, he had then wandered towards the warmth of the fireplace.   
  
The party had gone well. Everyone had gone home happy -- at least, most everyone did. Tomoyo Daidouji had gone home in a rather anxious frame of mind early that evening, escorted by Eriol Hiiragizawa in a rather thoughtful mood.   
  
Eriol and Tomoyo. Charles smiled involuntarily. Those two are destined to keep each other company for a good long while. They just needed a little nudge in the right direction. That was why he couldn't resist chanting a small charm to clear the mind. 'It should be working right about this time.'   
  
Suddenly, Charles' face became serious. It was very careless of him. Nakuru Akizuki had seen him. He didn't know if she recognized it for what it was or merely surprised to see something unusual. This happened at times, although very rarely. Not everyone can see auras. And not all those who see them know what they mean.   
  
A simple charm like this shouldn't have been noticed as well. But he had seen her face then. She was surprised, definitely. Thinking quickly, he had asked her for a dance immediately before she can even begin analyzing what she had seen. For a while, she seemed confused and preoccupied. But in a few seconds, she just enjoyed the dance.  
  
Charles chuckled. Now that he thought about it, the situation was a bit funny. He had been trying to avoid Nakuru for over a year now. She always reminded him of a butterfly, constantly flitting to and fro, flirting with every flower it meets. Her constant hugging and pestering made him avoid her like the plague. It was nothing personal, of course. He just wasn't used to such open-hearted public displays of affection. Besides, he didn't want her to get TOO close.   
  
Charles sighed and walked toward the balcony. The moon was full and lit up the night. He put his hands on the marble railing and stared at the stars. 'I'm lonely...'   
  
Was Grandfather ever this lonely? Obviously not. He said he met Grandma in his teens.   
  
She was a gem. That's what he said.   
  
In those days, some people still believed in magic and kept it alive. Nowadays, people get scared when you mention magic. Devil's making, some said. It was hard to find people who wouldn't be afraid of you.   
  
Afraid of me.   
  
If they knew, they would be.   
  
His heart ached. 'There must be someone for me. Gods. What use is power... without love...'  
  
Charles curled his hands into fists. 'What's wrong with me? (Sigh) Maybe I'm just tired.'  
  
He moved away from the balcony, back to the darkness of his room.  
  
@@@  
  
Somewhere high above, in the shadow of the old oak tree beside the balcony, two pairs of eyes watched as Charlie's figure disappeared from view.   
  
"I do not see anything unusual," Spinel Sun commented.  
  
"Perhaps it was something random." Ruby Moon floated into the moonlight. "He may be one of those who merely dabble with magic."  
  
"That would make him all the more dangerous to himself and to others."  
  
"He certainly has the talent."  
  
"We had better go back. I predict that our young Master would need us this night."  
  
"True. Mistress should make up her mind soon. The Master deserves to be happy."  
  
"We shall see." Spinel reared up and proceeded to fly into the night. Ruby Moon followed close by.  
  
@@@  
  
Charles watched in the shadows as the two flew off. Interesting. Two magical beings spying on him. One looked like a huge cat, the other, a human form. Both had butterfly wings.   
  
Butterflies, again. He had been preoccupied with butterflies recently for some reason. Perhaps the gods were telling him something.  
  
'But right now, I have to get some sleep. I'll probably just do some divination tomorrow.' With that, Charles sank into his bed without changing his clothes.  
  
~o~o~o~o~  
  
SibylSofiana: So? Tell us what you think!  
  
By the way, 'Farsighted' will have a Chapter Nine AND a Chapter Ten to complete the story. We will be releasing the two chapters at the same time as a bonus to our reviewers.   
  
Sofiana:Wow! Aren't we nice?  
  
Sibyl:Of course we are!  
  
SibylSofiana:Thank you!   
  
Well Met By Moonlight  
  
By LunaMagic  
  
C:\My Documents\Marie\Sibyl\Farsighted\MasterofNone.doc  
  
1  
  
Page of 1 


	10. How Can I Convince You?

FARSIGHTED  
  
By SibylSofiana  
  
Chapter Nine How Can I Convince You  
  
@@@@@  
  
Sonomi Daidouji looked out of the window at Tomoyo who had just emerged from the limousine. She could tell that this trip to London had changed her daughter.  
  
*My dear Tomoyo grew up again. And I wasn't there by her side.* Sonomi sighed in regret. There were some things in life that just wasn't fair.  
  
She met Tomoyo by the door and immediately stopped in her tracks. It was eerie, to be looking at yourself all over again. She recognized that look in her daughter's eyes, the same look she had when Kinomoto-sensei had finally discovered her greatest treasure -- beloved Nadeshiko. Helpless. As if there was something she wanted so badly, but couldn't make herself reach for it.  
  
Sonomi's eyes steeled. *If that Hiiragizawa boy hurt my baby--,* the intellectual architect of the Daidouji toy corporation who earned millions from her toy designs mentally sketched new and elaborate methods of torture for the unknowing lad who had caused her daughter so much pain. Sonomi's smile was catty. *I guess I really am a genius.* She immediately sobered as Tomoyo approached her.  
  
"I'm glad to be home, Mother." Tomoyo's smile didn't quite reach her eyes. Silence reigned for a few moments before Sonomi broke it saying,  
  
"I've missed you, Tomoyo. You must be tired, go rest now." Tomoyo turned to walk away when she felt her mother's arms wrap around her from behind.  
  
"I'm here if you need me, Tomoyo."  
  
"I know, Mother." With those words, she ran up to her bedroom.  
  
@@@@@  
  
Tomoyo entered her bedroom only to find Spinel, sitting on top of her luggage, the zipper halfway open.  
  
"Spinel-san...?"  
  
"He wouldn't like it if something happened to you on the way home." Spinel said by way of explanation.  
  
"How can I send you back? It's too soon for me to go back, Spinel. I-I can't face him yet." Tomoyo's voice faltered, unwilling to utter HIS name.  
  
"Then, can I stay and watch over you, Mistress Tomoyo?"  
  
"M..mistress?" Tomoyo's face burned at the implication.  
  
"Hai. My master has already made his choice, even if you are yet undecided."  
  
Tomoyo had no answer for that one.  
  
Spinel spoke again.  
  
"There is a letter on your table, Tomoyo-sama. I'll be in your sitting room if you need me."  
  
@@@@@  
  
Tomoyo untied the ribbon from her hair and let it trail down from her hand to the floor as she walked towards her bed, still holding his letter in her other hand. Her hair fell down in waves, obscuring her face. As she sat down on the bed, she carefully opened the seal on the envelope and pulled out the letter. His bold scrawl met her eyes, and tears began to form in her eyelids as she read his letter.  
  
Dearest Tomoyo,  
  
Gomen nasai. I did not mean to force my feelings on you. You are probably right...everything just happened so fast. But please give me the benefit of the doubt. My feelings are not the work of the past two weeks in your company - I have been heading in this direction for the past four years, but I have been too farsighted, if not blind.  
  
I have not thanked you for coming here... for clearing my mind, for healing my heart, for changing my life.  
  
No matter how long it takes you, my dearest Tomoyo, I will be here waiting.  
  
Hiiragizawa Eriol  
  
@@@@@  
  
London, England. A few DAYS later.  
  
Someone was pounding on the heavy oak door. Very insistently.  
  
Nakuru, the door!"  
  
No answer.  
  
Disgruntled, Eriol came out of the library and headed for the foyer. Ever since Nakuru had started going out with Charles (surprise, surprise), he was almost always left to his own devices for days on end.  
  
*What's the use of a guardian who isn't even there?* Not that he couldn't defend himself if the situation arose. (But it would have been NICE to have someone else to talk to besides his reflection in the mirror, now wouldn't it?!? Now that Spinel Sun was gone. And Tomoyo.) Sigh.  
  
He plastered a polite smile on his face and resignedly pulled open the door, ready to say - 'No, I'm not buying any cookies, and No, I don't want to subscribe to Horse and Hound Weekly' --  
  
Only to find himself face to face with THE Daidouji Sonomi. And a host of bodyguards in dark suits.  
  
!~O~O~!  
  
After gaping like an idiot for what seemed an eternity, Eriol suddenly found his manners and his voice.  
  
"Ah, ohayo gozaimasu, Daidouji-san... please, come in."  
  
As he led the way to the living room, Daidouji Sonomi reached out a hand to stop him. Eriol could only gaze blankly at the hand on his shoulder as a score of bodyguards entered his foyer and surrounded him and their employer in a ring.  
  
Sonomi's eyes were steely. "I will not mince words, Hiiragizawa-kun. My daughter is still confused right now and I don't want you to do anything that will confuse her even more."  
  
Sonomi paused and narrowed her eyes at him, signaling her escorts to tighten the circle around them, not unlike a noose around a man's neck. Eriol visibly gulped at the imagery.  
  
"What I'm trying to say is, my daughter is still making up her mind. Until then, lay off. If she wants you, there's no doubt she'll have you. Do you have a problem with that, Hiiragizawa-kun?"  
  
Sonomi's voice had gone soft, while the hand on Eriol's shoulder tightened, belying her intent. Eriol quickly turned his tongue loose to pacify his intended future mother-in-law.  
  
"No. None at all, ma'am."  
  
That must have been the right thing to say, because suddenly the hand loosened and the bodyguards retreated until there was only Eriol and Sonomi in the foyer.  
  
As Eriol watched them retreat bemusedly, Sonomi's quick mind was already analyzing and processing the information given to her by her senses.  
  
*Hmm.. the place is big enough, I suppose. He's obviously well-off. He's not too hard on the eyes, either.*  
  
Eriol cleared his throat as Sonomi turned her attention back to him.  
  
"Um..would you like to have tea, Daidouji-sama?" Eriol smiled, his charm turned on full blast as he waited for its effects on a VERY protective mother. He was not disappointed.  
  
Upon seeing him smile, Sonomi helplessly returned it with one of her own and showed Eriol just where Tomoyo got her smile. *No wonder Tomoyo couldn't resist this particular young man. Amamiya women do have good taste. He reminds me of someone, though. I can't remember exactly who..so charming and courteous...*  
  
"I'd like that very much, Hiiragizawa-kun." Sonomi's voice was mild as she elegantly followed Eriol to the study. The young man in front of her grinned at no one in particular.  
  
*Heh...who would have thought it. THE Daidouji Sonomi was brought down with a smile.*  
  
@@@@@  
  
Hongkong. A few days after Eriol's fateful meeting with Daidouji Sonomi.  
  
Kinomoto Fujitaka had been bewildered and overwhelmed by all the attention the Li Clan had been showering him the past three weeks. Yes, he was half Clow Reed's reincarnation, but Sakura had inherited his magic, not him. As it was, Li-kun's sisters and the Li Elders had already besieged Sakura. He was glad they would be leaving in a couple of days. Classes would soon be starting, and they had intruded on the Li family hospitality long enough already, and Touya was doing just fine.  
  
In those three weeks, he often found himself in the library, picking up a small volume here and there. The collection was actually fascinating, if almost limited to Chinese classical writings. But there were also a smattering of Japanese tomes and English books about esoteric magic. This time he had found a slim volume embossed with a sun and moon entitled, "The Mystery of Clow Reed". He soon found himself engrossed in the story of the man who had been Clow Reed, that he heard neither the door opening, nor the footsteps that came further into the room.  
  
"Ah, that's my husband's favorite book."  
  
Fujitaka looked up to see Li Yelan standing near the study table, and he immediately stood up and gave a small bow.  
  
"Ni hao, Mrs. Li. It's an intriguing book."  
  
"Yes, considering that it's about YOUR past life." Yelan smiled and took the chair opposite him. "My husband was always fascinated by Clow Reed. I shared his interest in gaining Clow's magical knowledge. Even though my husband's family considered Clow Reed a rogue ancestor, they nevertheless wanted the Clow Cards for the Clan. "  
  
"But then Sakura became Card Mistress."  
  
Yelan smiled. "Do not get me wrong, Kinomoto-sensei. When his father died, Syaoran became The Li. Protecting and leading the Clan was of utmost importance. That was why he was after the Cards, to prove himself worthy. But he was young and the Elders were hard on him. Even me." She looked over at some point behind him, remembering a past that evoked such sadness and regret in her eyes.  
  
"Do not be too hard on yourself." Yelan glanced back at Fujitaka as he tried to cheer her up. "As you said, Syaoran-kun is The Li. You did what you had to do and I'm sure he didn't take it against you. He turned out to be a fine and responsible young man, and I'm sure he loves you very much, Mrs. Li."  
  
Li Yelan smiled and gave a slight nod. "I thank you, Kinomoto-sensei." Fujitaka politely asked her to call him by his first name.  
  
"Ah, then please call me Yelan. We have stood on ceremony for so long, Fujitaka-san." Fujitaka only smiled and nodded.  
  
After chatting a while longer, Yelan soon stood up. "I will now leave you to your reading. May you know him who was before you, and thus know more about yourself."  
  
@@@@@  
  
Fujitaka was still thinking about what Li Yelan said when the phone rang.  
  
As there was nobody else nearby, he put the book down and picked up the phone himself.  
  
"Ni hao, Li residence."  
  
"Ni hao," replied a voice in Cantonese. "I wish to speak to Kinomoto Sakura?"  
  
Sakura? "May I know who's calling?"  
  
"Is that you, Kinomoto-sensei?" the voice suddenly asked in English.  
  
Ah, the accent sounded familiar. Fujitaka smiled wryly to himself. He didn't have to finish reading his book to know himself - probably just talking to his other half would be the ticket. "Hiiragizawa-kun?"  
  
"Hello, Kinomoto-sensei. I hope you're enjoying your vacation in Hongkong."  
  
"Despite the fuss about being Clow Reed in my past life, and watching Touya and Li-kun try to kill each other every other day, I would say I am." Fujitaka said wryly, and he could hear the young man chuckle at the other end of the line.  
  
"As for Sakura, she's not here right now, she's out with Meiling and Syaoran's sisters." Fujitaka explained. "Anything wrong, Hiiragizawa- kun?" Then with a flash of insight (from Clow?) - "Is it about Tomoyo?"  
  
A sigh at the other end of the line. "How right you are, sensei. Care to listen to the travails of my adolescent existence?" Without even waiting for Fujitaka's reply, Eriol proceeded to tell his tale from the very beginning -- his growing friendship with Tomoyo over the years, the end of his relationship with Mizuki Kaho, his sudden grasp of his true feelings, and finally ending with Sonomi Daidouji's threat to his person if he harmed even one precious hair strand on her lovely daughter's head.  
  
"Sonomi actually came over and threatened you?" Fujitaka chuckled at the end of what was a very entertaining narrative. "Well, she actually did that to me when I started dating Nadeshiko-san. She's quite protective of her treasures." He could hear Eriol's wry agreement at the other end of the line. "What did she say?"  
  
"Well, the gist was that I keep my ever loving hands off her daughter until she finally makes up her own mind, even if it takes her ten years. Gods, I hope it doesn't take that long!"  
  
"Oh, I wouldn't say that. Amamiya women generally make up their minds quickly, but sometimes they're too stubborn. So, are you going to keep your promise?"  
  
"I didn't promise NOT to write her. Other than that, I might have to give her enough time. " Another sigh. "Enough of me. If you don't mind me asking - don't you plan on seeing someone else? I know you love Nadeshiko, but you're still young, and I'm sure she'd want you to be happy, Sensei."  
  
Fujitaka took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "I'm happy with the way things are now, Hiiragizawa-kun." He sighed and added, "But if Nadeshiko has her way, I'll probably be seeing a lot more of Sonomi," he confided glumly.  
  
Eriol whooped at the other end of the line. "You and Sonomi?!? That's almost suicide!"  
  
Nadeshiko, who up until now was silently listening to her husband talk to his other self, couldn't help but make her presence known in defense of her spirited if overly-protective cousin.  
  
"Oh, she's not that bad."  
  
Both former reincarnations rolled their eyes at her remark and snorted. Yeah, right.  
  
@@@@@  
  
Tomoeda. Daidouji Mansion.  
  
It was a warm July evening. Tomoyo lay curled up in the sofa in her room, finishing her latest sewing project - another dress for Sakura-chan. She had actually just gotten off the phone with her best friend, who was obviously very worried about her, but trying not to let it show. Tomoyo was grateful for Sakura's understanding - she really didn't feel like talking to anybody yet. Even Spinel wasn't saying a word. He was just watching over her and keeping her company most of the time (when he was not bickering with Kero-chan). If he ever talked to his master, she never caught him at it. Right now, Spinel in his true form was dozing at her feet, and she felt quite content and safe for no reason at all.  
  
The phone beside her suddenly rang. Spinel only raised his head, then went back to sleep. Tomoyo put down her project and picked up the phone.  
  
"Moshi moshi." When she heard the voice at the other end of the line, she perked up. "Syaoran-kun! Happy birthday! Did you get your present?"  
  
"That's why I called," said Syaoran at the other end of the line. "Thank you very much for your gift. It arrived just in time and - I really like it, Tomoyo. Arigatou."  
  
"I'm glad you liked it. When I saw it in a London shop, I knew I had to buy it..." Tomoyo couldn't continue, because she started thinking of her time in London again. Thinking of Eriol.  
  
Unfortunately for her, Syaoran found his opening for what was really on his mind. "Sakura's worried about you, Tomoyo-chan... so am I."  
  
"I know." She sighed. "Thanks for worrying about me, you guys, but I'm really okay. It's just that -- Eriol, he -" Tomoyo didn't even finish her statement as Syaoran suddenly growled.  
  
"Hiiragizawa didn't DO anything to you, did he?" Syaoran's tone was ominous. "Because if he did..."  
  
Alarmed, Tomoyo hastened to reassure him. "NO! I mean, no he didn't, he was the perfect gentleman."  
  
Tomoyo could almost see Syaoran's raised eyebrow.  
  
"Oh? The perfect gentleman, eh? I bet that sly weasel was charming to you all the time. I bet he was like that to other girls when you had your back turned. Don't worry, Tomoyo, he's gonna pay for leading you on like that."  
  
Tomoyo was starting to get really distraught at the thought of Syaoran and Eriol hurting each other.  
  
"It wasn't like that, Syaoran-kun!!! I swear, he wasn't like that to other girls! I should know -- because I kept looking at him! He was polite to them, but to me he was sweet and kind and charming, and possessive only of me. Of me! Only me!"  
  
Intent on thoroughly convincing her loyal and protective friend, Tomoyo's rambled on, before she finally took in what she had just said.  
  
"He loves me... he really loves me," she whispered in awe, more to herself than to Syaoran. Tomoyo's eyes widened in realization.  
  
"And I love him... I really love Eriol."  
  
Syaoran finally relented and laughed . "See? You've already made up your mind."  
  
Tomoyo was aghast to find out that one blushing-at-the-slightest-mention-of- cherry-blossoms Syaoran had managed to trick her. This cannot be tolerated, she mused.  
  
"You're so bad, Li-kun."  
  
"So, now I'm back to Li-kun, eh?" He teased. But he then moved to reassure her.  
  
"I'm sure everything will work out fine, Tomoyo. Hiiragizawa will give you the time you need. He was blind for four years, he deserves to wait a few more!"  
  
(Mutters to himself, *Feh, I'm waiting for Sakura! Better to keep things fair...* which Tomoyo hears.)  
  
Syaoran soon continued. "Just begin again from where your friendship last left off, then take it slowly from there. Everything will be alright," quoting Sakura.  
  
Tomoyo smiled at the other end of the line. "Thank you for your advice, Syaoran-kun," she said in her best syrupy voice.  
  
"You're welcome," came the smug reply. *(That weasel owes me big time. Hehe... I think I'm gonna enjoy collecting...)*  
  
Tomoyo, now all cheered up (and nowhere to go), now smiled in evil anticipation. In her best Meiling-chan imitation, she said,  
  
"Aww... that was really sweet of you, Syaoran-kun. How will I ever repay you?"  
  
Suddenly Syaoran started to have a bad feeling about the turn of the conversation.  
  
"Er, you don't really have to, Tomoyo-chan..."  
  
"I know!" Tomoyo enthusiastically interrupted. "I owe you a costume, Syaoran-kun!"  
  
@@@@@  
  
Authors' Notes:  
  
Sofiana: I got the chapter title from the first line of a song that hit me when we were still writing this. Can anybody guess the title of the song? (Hint, hint: It's also the title of the last chapter ;p)  
  
Sibyl: Reviews, people! We hunger, we crave, we absolutely subsist on them!  
  
SibylSofiana: To everybody, thank you for your reviews! We appreciate them all, we take them all in - the good and the bad. So let us know what you think.  
  
Sibyl: (whispers) I wanna reach over a hundred reviews! Wanna, wanna!  
  
Our personal thanks go to KyteAura, June6, Aurora Starcrystal, not applicable, Shima and Tempis, Dana Daidouji, flitter bug, KawaiinessPnay, PLum BLoSsOm, crystal wolf=P, Candyland 


	11. The Search is Over

Farsighted SibylSofiana  
  
Chapter Ten The Search is Over  
  
@@@@@  
  
Eriol's letters with Tomoyo  
  
Dearest Tomoyo,  
  
Nakuru has been moping around the house a lot since Spinel left. She keeps trying to spoonfeed me some sugar by mistake until I disabused her of the notion somewhat firmly. (Un)Fortunately, someone came to take her off my hands on a regular basis. Remember Charles? They go out often, which is quite... So now, I'm the one moping at home. It's definitely quieter without the two guardians around.  
  
Eriol Hiiragizawa  
  
~o~o~o~o~  
  
Dear Eriol-san,  
  
Thank you for sending Spinel. He has been great company in this big house. He enjoys watching my Sakura movies with me. Sakura and Kero-chan are back, and Kero-chan and Suppi-chan (he doesn't seem to mind me calling him that) always end up competing with each other. It's so entertaining.  
  
Daidouji Tomoyo  
  
~o~o~o~o~  
  
Dearest Tomoyo,  
  
Thank you for sending the video. Nakuru cried buckets when she remembered how much she enjoyed having you with us that we had some minor flooding in the living room. But then Charles came by and saw the state she was in. He then went to her side and said something - God knows what - that immediately stopped Nakuru's raging river of tears.  
  
It seems that Charlie boy here was hiding a little secret. I knew he was descended from a Celtic line but---magic .... Well, now at least I have someone to talk to after school. And he doesn't seem to mind, either.  
  
~o~o~o~o~ Eriol-san,  
  
Merry Christmas. Mother is gone on a business trip and I feel a little sad. But Suppi-chan takes care of me and Sakura is always so cheerful that I can't help but smile...  
  
~o~o~o~o~  
  
Dearest Tomoyo,  
  
I waited all night in the garden for spring to come, and it did this morning. My flowers are all in bloom, even the magnolias. Somehow it comforts me...  
  
~o~o~o~o~  
  
Eriol-san,  
  
Syaoran and Meiling are here visiting us for the summer. Meiling and I plot and plan everyday on how to keep those two together, and most of the time we're successful. Kawaii!...... I'm glad Meiling's here. Otherwise, I'll be quite lonely. Has it been a year?  
  
~o~o~o~o~  
  
Dearest Tomoyo,  
  
Happy 18th birthday. I'm sorry I couldn't come. I wanted to, but... never mind. Promises should always be kept, no matter the cost. I hope you had a wonderful time...  
  
~o~o~o~o~  
  
Eriol-san,  
  
It's cold here in Tomoeda right now. Sakura-chan, Kero-chan, Suppi-chan and I went to the amusement park for the New Year, and we had a lot of fun...  
  
Spinel goes out to the balcony and gazes at the moon sometimes. And I join him. He doesn't say anything, but I'm sure he's thinking of you and Nakuru- chan...  
  
~o~o~o~o~  
  
Dearest Tomoyo,  
  
Thank you for the chocolates you and Sakura made. Nakuru and Charles ate most of mine, the scoundrels! But I've managed to hide some... they're very special to me.  
  
~o~o~o~o~  
  
Eriol-san,  
  
Sakura was voted as Miss Sunshine in Seijou High! I took a lot of videos and I'm sending them all to Syaoran. I'm sure he'll be quite happy with them. Of course, I made the costumes... I still had some extra cloth left, so I made it into a jacket to give to someone. I don't think I've ever made anything this beautiful before, even when I was making Sakura- chan's costumes... But the time isn't right, so I think I'll hold on to it for a while. Until I can give it to you.  
  
Daidouji Tomoyo  
  
~o~o~o~o~  
  
Dearest Tomoyo,  
  
I don't have any definite plans for the summer, but Charles invited Nakuru and me to his country estate for the weekend to celebrate Nakuru's graduation. I'm sure Spinel would have liked to be here...  
  
Tomoyo, I...miss you. Hiiragizawa Eriol  
  
~o~o~o~o~  
  
Eriol-san,  
  
I'll be starting University soon. I'm still waiting for news - when it comes I'm sure things will fall into place, and I will know that everything is going to be all right. Mother is quite supportive, and I love her for being so understanding...  
  
I miss you too. Daidouji Tomoyo  
  
@@@@@  
  
Two years is entirely too long to wait.  
  
Eriol sighed as he stretched out the grass beside his remaining guardian. It was the first week of summer. He'd be starting University soon. But now all he could think about was how slow time was.  
  
His unofficial birthday had come and gone, and at nineteen... well, he felt like nineteen. A little bit young and foolish, but no longer a child. Not that he'd really been acting like a child some eight years ago. When he felt like he was eleven going on fifty... It was a good thing to be Eriol Hiiragizawa for once. Eriol sighed, but this time in contentment.  
  
Already he'd grown a lot taller and he'd toned his body by playing polo with his friends. He'd tinkered with the idea of getting contacts, but call it sentimentalism, he did like to hold on to his wire-rimmed spectacles.  
  
He'd been trying not to think about her too much. But he really couldn't help it. She was all over the house - in the attic, sewing clothes; in the library, talking by the fire; in the kitchen, laughing with Nakuru and Spinel; in the living room, singing by the piano; in the garden, kissing him...  
  
Aaargh. He groaned silently. Enough of that.  
  
Come to think of it, she was even in his room, framed in silver, by his bed. Charles had taken a picture of her during that birthday party - Eriol had paid dearly to just get it from Charles. The soulless pig! And to think they were friends!  
  
And her letters were precious - his only link to her, to what was happening in her life. He kept his promise to Daidouji Sonomi - his own letters were brief, he refrained from calling her and sending her gifts. But he thought of her often, and dreamed of her much more.  
  
"Don't you miss Spinel Sun, Ruby Moon?" he asked the butterfly lady beside him, who for once was here at home and not cozying up to Charles. He admitted he was quite jealous of the two. But he was happy for them.  
  
The guardian, lazily lapping up the last rays of the sun, pondered a bit before answering. It was curious how changed she was, thought Eriol, as he watched Nakuru. She was calmer, not prone to fits or tantrums. Charlie's calming influence?  
  
Right now, though, a bit of Nakuru's playfulness shone through her eyes. "I do miss giving him his sugar doses..." she gave a mock sigh.  
  
But then she added, "My brother takes his duty seriously. Don't worry, I'm sure we will see them again soon, Eriol-sama." Eriol sighed again.  
  
"Oh I do see them, Ruby Moon. But only in my dreams. Always just a dream." He got up and walked away, once again to meet Tomoyo in his slumber.  
  
@@@@@  
  
Living for a dream.  
  
He was caught up in the same one. He had been sleeping in his bed when suddenly he felt her soft form beside him, snuggling close. Ah. The scent of magnolias invaded his nostrils. He opened his eyes to drink in her form, amethyst eyes searching his.  
  
Her lips parted to say the words he had waited for so long to hear, the dream he never wanted to wake up from.  
  
"I love you, Eriol." Her sweet voice was music to his ears. His arms tightened around her.  
  
"And I love you, Tomoyo." He closed his eyes and leaned in, ready to reclaim her lips once more.  
  
@@@@@  
  
He was startled to feel cold steel against his throat instead of Tomoyo's warm lips against his own. He opened his eyes and followed the line of the sword back to its owner. He met twin amber irises, gazing at him unperturbedly.  
  
"Unhand Tomoyo, you knave." His cute 'little' descendant's deep voice reached him- deceptively calm and absolutely menacing. The meaning was clear and the threat was unmistakeable.  
  
Eriol could only gape at him in astonishment. Before he could recover from his phenomenal speechlessness, he heard knuckles crack in anticipation. *I probably imagined the last part,* he mused.  
  
"Didn't you hear him, Hiiragizawa? Get YOUR hands OFF my cousin."  
  
The knuckles cracked again. *Nope. Definitely wasn't imagining it.*  
  
He clutched the dream-Tomoyo closer to him as he glared at the dream-faces of Kinomoto Touya and Li Xiao Lang.  
  
"WHAT IN BLOODY HELL'S NAME ARE YOU TWO DOING HERE!?!" He shouted indignantly. "This is my dream and you're not supposed to be in it!"  
  
He then closed his eyes tightly, willing them to go away. A second later the sword at his throat vanished.  
  
Hhmph. That should teach them not to interfere with his dreams. *Now, where was I?* He was about to resume his interrupted kiss with Tomoyo when something heavy landed on his shoulder.  
  
Eriol sighed in exasperation. *Can't I just kiss my beloved Tomoyo without being interrupted!? This is my dream. I'm supposed to be in control here, dammit!*  
  
Eriol looked to see Spinel in his true form crouching on his side, a paw on his shoulder.  
  
"Don't I get some praise, Master? After all, I did take care of her all these years."  
  
In another setting, he would have been overjoyed to see his Sun guardian, but a frustrated Eriol could only glare from his prone position at his Spinel's ill-timed arrival.  
  
@@@@@  
  
Spinel smirked; he was enjoying every minute of his master's irritation and had no plans of letting up any time soon. He did miss Eriol, and his quality time with Tomoyo could come later-right now he was content at simply gazing at his Master and Mistress together at last.  
  
@@@@@  
  
"AARGH!!! Can somebody please save me from this nightmare?!?" Eriol cried out in despair. Only silence greeted his plea. Eriol closed his eyes, ready to admit defeat when help came unexpectedly.  
  
He heard peculiar sounds approaching his room. He opened his eyes and saw the two men valiantly try to retain their smug demeanor-and fail. They tried blending in with the room furniture, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible as heavy footsteps that sounded like rolling thunder reached their ears.  
  
It was now Eriol's turn to gloat as his eyes fell adoringly at his savior who was now at the doorway.  
  
"ONIIIIIICHAN!!! LI SYAORAN!!!" Sakura's shrill voice never sounded as pleasant to Eriol as it did right at that moment.  
  
@@@@@  
  
"Didn't I tell you NOT to interrupt them right now? They haven't seen each other for the past two years and you just come right in and barge into their private time!" Sakura reprimanded.  
  
"But Sakura -"  
  
"Oi, Kaijuu..."  
  
What the two men were about to say were lost on the Card Mistress. Despite wanting to jump with joy at finding the two men finally agree on something, she suppressed it and focused her thoughts on the subject at hand. She narrowed her emerald eyes at them and said evenly,  
  
"I don't even want to hear it. Out. Now."  
  
Spinel released his hold on Eriol and trotted out of the room. Sakura escorted a still-glaring Syaoran and Touya from the room.  
  
"You better not do anything funny, Hiiragizawa! You might be a reincarnation, but if you hurt her, I'm gonna hurt you, relative or no relative!" Syaoran called out before he was pushed out of the room.  
  
Touya was not to be outdone. "You keep your hands off her, weasel-face, or I'll..."  
  
They didn't finish the rest of their threats as Sakura forcibly butted her brother out of the room. But before she closed the door, she looked back and said,  
  
"It was nice seeing you again, Eriol-kun." She smiled as the door closed behind her.  
  
~o~o~o~o~o  
  
Downstairs.  
  
Touya warily watched Nakuru from the corner of his eyes.  
  
They had all gathered in the living room - the Kaijuu, the Gaki, the Stuffed Toy, the other Stuffed Toy, and his Snow Bunny - although the latter went straight for the kitchen to make himself a triple-decker sandwich - when they heard a car in the driveway. A few minutes later, a key turned in the lock and Nakuru herself made an entrance, dressed in a chic red blouse and pants, swinging a bag by her hand, and humming to herself.  
  
Nakuru soon stopped dead in her tracks.  
  
"Hey! Sakura-chan! What are you all doing here?" Nakuru moved quickly forward and engulfed the Card Mistress in warm, excited hug. "Is it your summer break? Have you all had dinner?" While Sakura nodded in the affirmative, everyone else goggled at the sight of Nakuru CALMLY talking to Sakura.  
  
Tomoyo-chan?" Nakuru enquired directly, and Sakura motioned upstairs.  
  
"She's with Eriol right now."  
  
"Good." Firmly.  
  
As Nakuru finally turned around to greet everybody, her eyebrow lifted teasingly as she saw Kinomoto Touya watching her. "Hello, Touya-kun."  
  
"Hello, Akizuki." Touya reluctantly replied. "You look well," he added cautiously. Touya didn't even need his newly harnessed powers to tell that Nakuru was positively glowing.  
  
Hopefully she wasn't thinking of glomping him.  
  
As if she could read his mind, Nakuru laughed.  
  
"Don't worry, Touya-kun. You aren't blonde, brown-eyed, and charming, so you're safe from me."  
  
"Huh?" As Touya pondered that statement, Nakuru caught sight of her erstwhile co-guardian sitting nervously on the settee.  
  
"Hello, Ruby Moon."  
  
A stunned moment of silence. Then....  
  
SUPPPPPPPPPPI-CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!  
  
The almost inhuman shriek echoed in the stillness of the night as Nakuru launched herself on the hapless Spinel Sun.  
  
@@@@@  
  
Back in Eriol's bedroom. Full circle.  
  
"I'm not dreaming, am I?" Tomoyo shook her head.  
  
"And those - two MEAN guys were really here?" A nod.  
  
"And Spinel Sun?" Another nod.  
  
"And Sakura-san?" Yet another nod, although he could tell she was getting slightly irritated. He lifted a hand to her cheek, caressing the silky dark tresses that covered the side of her face.  
  
"Be patient with me," he whispered. "I've been waiting so long that I can't believe you're not a dream... " and her irritation vanished as suddenly as it had appeared.  
  
"I'm here, Eriol." She clasped the hand on her cheek, and kissed the back of it, much like he used to do.  
  
He tried to ignore the pleasant sensation of her lips on his skin, as he hovered between hope and dread. Was she staying for good?  
  
"What are you doing here?" Eriol finally asked. But Tomoyo pretended not to understand his question.  
  
"Touya's here to work at Mother's London branch for a while, and Syaoran- kun promised to look something up for the Li Clan business while he's here. Sakura-chan's here for a vacation, and Kero-chan and Spinel just happened to tag along..."  
  
"And you, Tomoyo?" he asked insistently, still holding on to hope.  
  
"I've been offered a scholarship in fashion designing here in London, and Touya is going to keep me company, together with Rei and Akiko. Did I tell you we're next door neighbors?" She grinned impishly, and his eyes finally lighted up.  
  
He WAS awake, fully conscious and in control of his faculties. Tomoyo was here to stay!  
  
*Gods! I'm so happy! What I'd give just to kiss her right now, without those two barbarians looking over my shoulder... * he was still busy thinking how best to approach the situation, when Tomoyo suddenly surprised him by saying --  
  
"You CAN kiss me right now, you know, Eriol. I'm sure Sakura-chan will keep them busy for a while." Tomoyo's eyes gleamed.  
  
* WHA--! Did I say that out loud?!? *  
  
"Are you quite sure you can't read minds, Tomoyo?" he looked at her suspiciously.  
  
Tomoyo only smiled mysteriously.  
  
"You can find out later, Eriol. But for now..." Tomoyo's arms encircled his neck encouragingly.  
  
Eriol's arms went around her waist as his lips hovered just above hers.  
  
"Yes...the rest can wait."  
  
-----  
  
!~O~O~! FIN !~O~O~!  
  
@@@@@  
  
Whew! That's the end! Thanks to all our kind reviewers. Our acknowledgement this time is by no means in any order: June6, Celestial Blossom, Dana Daidouji, Aurora Starcrystal, Plum BLoSsOm, not applicable, Shima and Tempis,  
  
Sibyl: We will acknowledge new reviews at a later date. For now, thank you everyone! It's been fun writing this fic with you along to cheer us and keep us going. Arigatou!!!  
Sofiana: Yes, the title of the song I referred to in the previous  
chapter is "The Search is Over" by Survivor. Sibyl and I were just  
talking about how we were going to finish the story when I started  
thinking about certain lines, and voila! My inspiration! It  
somehow fits.  
  
The Search is Over - Survivor  
  
How can I convince you what you see is real? Who am I to blame you for doubting what you feel? I was always reaching, you were just a girl I knew I took for granted the friend I had in you  
  
Can we last forever? Will we fall apart? At times it's so confusing, the questions of the heart You followed me through changes, and patiently you'd wait Till I came to my senses through some miracle of fate  
  
I was living for a dream, loving for a moment Taking on the world, that was just my style Then I touch your hand and I hear you whisper The search is over, you were with me all the while  
  
Now the miles stretch out behind me, loves that I have lost Broken hearts lie victims of the game Then good luck, we finally stuck like lightning from the blue Every highway leads me back to you  
  
Now at last I hold you, now all is said and done The search has come full circle, our destinies are one So if you ever loved me, show me that you give a damn And don't forsake me, the man I really am.  
  
I was living for a dream, loving for a moment Taking on the world, that was just my style When I look into your eyes, I can see forever  
  
The search is over, love was right before my eyes  
  
Ja Ne! 


End file.
